[? Your thoughts?] DGP
President Obama is Progressive. Here Are 245 Accomplishments So Far
It’s 2014, and once again, we have a
very important election ahead of us. Yet, there are a lot of very loud
progressives who have done nothing since President Obama was elected
five years ago but complain, because he’s not perfect. They claim that
he’s no progressive.
That’s a lie. What do these folks think
“progressive” mean? The root word is “progress,” and we’ve seen a hell
of a lot of progress since January 20, 2009. We have a national health
care plan, for the first time in our history. We recovered from the
worst economic downturn since the Great Depression in quick order; we
would be well on our way to a full recovery, except that Republicans in
Congress are blocking everything anyone in the Democratic Party
proposes, out of fear that the first black president may actually look
good. Yet, with all of that blockage of progress, some progressives
still spend all of their time going after Obama and Democrats.
In addition to health care and the
economy, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is history. Same-sex couples are getting
married and enjoying the same benefits of other married couples. The
marijuana prohibition is frittering away. The stock market has more than
doubled. Manufacturing is starting to come back from Asia. The auto
industry is not only whole again, but they’re producing a record number
of hybrid and electric cars, and we’re on pace to double average vehicle
gas mileage by 2020, even as the government both reduces our dependence
on foreign oil and makes record investments in developing renewable
energy sources.
Name a Republican – ANY Republican – who
can boast of such a record, and perhaps then, you can complain about
Obama not being “progressive” enough. He is as progressive as he can be,
given that progressive complaints helped give him the current
Republican House – A Republican House who can’t pass a universal gun
background checks law that more than 90% of Americans support, including
most gun owners. If you blame Obama or the minority Democratic Party
for anything bad, you don’t understand how politics works. If you want
progressive government, you can’t help elect the opposite to office.
That’s what makes this list so
important. Every time someone complains that Obama’s not progressive,
send them the link, or print it out and hand it to them. Every entry I
started this list in late 2011, with about 140 entries. And you can see
how it’s grown. And it’s grown despite the fact that Republicans are
blocking everything. Given the obstacles, this President will leave a
hell of a legacy. If we want to win elections – and in a democracy, that
has to be our main goal – we have to make people want to vote for us.
That means accentuating the positive, and talking about how great we
are, especially compared to the alternative.
Is President Obama perfect? No, he’s
human. Does he deserve some criticism? Of course (the sequester is a
great example). But does he deserve the level of criticism that’s been
leveled at him by self-proclaimed “progressives”? Hell no. He’s compiled
a STELLAR record, given the circumstances.
Pass this list around to everyone you
know, especially those who whine that Obama has done nothing. Then keep
being positive, and encouraging people to vote. We can’t allow 2014 to
be like 2010.
Here’s What He’s Done
Returned The Executive Branch To Fiscal Responsibility
1. Within his first week, he signed an
Executive Order ordering an audit of government contracts, and combating
waste and abuse. http://1.usa.gov/dUvbu5
2. Created the post of Chief Performance
Officer, whose job it is to make operations more efficient to save the
federal government money. http://n.pr/hcgBn1
3. On his first full day, he froze White House salaries. http://on.msnbc.com/ewJUIx
4. He appointed the first Federal Chief Information Officer to oversee federal IT spending.http://www.cio.gov
5. He committed to phasing out
unnecessary and outdated weapons systems. To that end, he also signed
the Democratic-sponsored Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act, which
attempted to put a stop to waste, fraud and abuse in the defense
procurement and contracting system. http://bit.ly/hOw1t1 http://bit.ly/fz8GAd
6. Through an executive order, he created the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. http://bit.ly/hwKhKa
Prevented a Bush Depression and Improved the Economy
7. Pushed through and signed the
Democratic-sponsored American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, otherwise
known as “the stimulus package.” The bill passed, even though only three
Republicans voted for it. In a major departure from the previous
administration, he launched recovery.gov, a website that allows
taxpayers to track spending from the Act. http://1.usa.gov/ibiFSs http://1.usa.gov/e3BJMk
8. The Bush-led Great Recession was
costing the economy nearly 800,000 jobs per month by the time President
Obama took office. But by the end of his first year, the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act created and sustained 2.1 million jobs and
stimulated the economy by 3.5%. http://reut.rs/i46CEE
9. Not only did he completed the massive
TARP financial and banking rescue plan, he also leaned on the banks and
others, and recovered virtually all of the bail-out money. http://1.usa.gov/eA5jVS http://bit.ly/eCNrD6
10. He created the Making Home Affordable home refinancing plan. http://1.usa.gov/goy6zl
11. Oversaw the creation of more jobs in 2010 alone than Bush did in eight years. http://bit.ly/hrrnjY
12. Along with Democrats, and almost no
Republicans, implemented an auto industry rescue plan, and saved as many
as 1 million jobs. http://bit.ly/ibhpxr Many are of the opinion that he saved the entire auto industry, and even the economy of the entire Midwest. http://bit.ly/gj7mt5 This resulted in GM returning to its place as the top car company in the world. http://lat.ms/zIJuQx
13. Doubled funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, which is designed to improve manufacturing efficiency. http://bit.ly/eYD4nf
14. Signed the Democratic-sponsored
Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act giving the federal government more
tools to investigate and prosecute fraud in every corner of the
financial system, and create a bipartisan Financial Crisis Inquiry
Commission to investigate the financial fraud that led to the economic
meltdown. http://abcn.ws/g18Fe7
15. Signed the Democratic-sponsored
Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act,
which was designed to to protect consumers from unfair and deceptive
credit card practices. http://1.usa.gov/gIaNcS
16. Increased infrastructure spending after years of neglect. http://bit.ly/f77aOw
17. Signed the Democratic-sponsored and
passed Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, expanding on the Making
Home Affordable Program to help millions of Americans avoid preventable
foreclosures. The bill also provided $2.2 billion to help combat
homelessness, and to stabilize the housing market. http://bit.ly/eEpLFn
18. Through the Worker, Homeownership,
and Business Assistance Act of 2009, he and Congressional Democrats
provided tax credits to first-time home buyers, which helped the U.S.
housing market recovery. http://bit.ly/dZgXXw http://bit.ly/gORYfL
19. Initiated a $15 billion plan designed to encourage increased lending to small businesses. http://1.usa.gov/eu0u0b
20. Created business.gov, which allows
for online collaboration between small businesses and experts re
managing a business. (The program has since merged with SBA.gov.) http://www.business.gov
21. Played a lead role in getting the G-20 Summit to commit to a $1.1 trillion deal to combat the global financial crisis. http://nyti.ms/gHlgp5
22. Took steps to improve minority access to capital. http://bit.ly/f9xVE7
23. Signed an Executive Order
instructing federal agencies to review all federal regulations and
remove any unnecessary and/or burdensome regulations from the books. http://1.usa.gov/Lpo5bd
24. Through the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act, saved at least 300,000 education jobs, such as
teachers, principals, librarians, and counselors that would have
otherwise been lost. http://1.usa.gov/ez30D
25. Dismantled the Minerals Management
Service, thereby cutting ties between energy companies and the
government. http://nyti.ms/bw1MLu
26. Along with Congressional Democrats,
provided funding to states and the Department of Homeland Security to
save thousands of police and firefighter jobs from being cut during the
recession. http://bit.ly/g0IKWR
27. Used recovered TARP money to fund
programs at local housing finance agencies in California, Florida,
Nevada, Arizona and Michigan. http://on.msnbc.com/i1i8eV
28. Crafted and signed an executive
order establishing the President’s Advisory Council on Financial
Capability to assist in financial education for all Americans. http://bit.ly/eyqsNE
29. China’s largest manufacturer, Foxconn, is building a large plant in Pennsylvania http://cnnmon.ie/1k7LT4S
30. Worked with Apple Computer to get
them to build more product here, and thecompany is building two large
plants to manufacture products here; one in Texas http://zd.net/1nkpt2O and one in Arizona http://bit.ly/1mXY5Vg
31. Oversaw increase of manufacturing
jobs by more than 500,000 since 2010, and created an institute to invest
in more manufacturing jobs in the technology fields of the future. http://nyti.ms/1egyXrV
32. Ordered all federal contractors to pay a minimum wage of $10.10 per hour, leading the way to a national increase. http://wapo.st/1iaU5kd
33. Ordered the completion of the
International Trade Data System, a digital trade record book, by 2016.
This move will streamline and simplify the process through which small-
and medium-sized businesses set up the export of US goods. http://bit.ly/1nwSRF4
Brought Much-Improved Transparency and Better Government
34. Signed an order banning gifts from lobbyists to anyone in the Executive Branch. http://bit.ly/fsBACN
35. Signed an order banning anyone from
working in an agency they had lobbied in previous years, and put strict
limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House. http://nyti.ms/gOrznV
36. Held the first-ever first online town hall from the White House, and took questions from the public. http://bit.ly/gVNSgX
37. Became the first to stream every White House event, live. http://1.usa.gov/kAgOP5
38. Established a central portal for Americans to find service opportunities. http://www.serve.gov
39. Provided the first voluntary disclosure of the White House Visitors Log in history. http://1.usa.gov/hQ7ttV
40. Issued an Executive Order on
Presidential Records, which restored the 30-day time frame for former
presidents to review records, and eliminated the right for the vice
president or family members of former presidents to do the reviews.
Provides the public with greater access to historic White House
documents, and severely curtails the ability to use executive privilege
to shield them. http://1.usa.gov/gUetLb
41. Improved aspects of the Freedom of
Information Act, and issued new guidelines to make FOIA more open and
transparent when processing FOIA requests. http://1.usa.gov/gjrnp2
Wall Street Reforms and Consumer Protection
42. Ordered 65 executives who took bailout money to cut their own pay until they paid back all bailout money. http://huff.to/eAi9Qq
43. Along with Congressional Democrats,
pushed through and got passed Dodd-Frank, one of the largest and most
comprehensive Wall Street reforms since the Great Depression. http://bit.ly/hWCPg0 http://bit.ly/geHpcD
44. Through Dodd-Frank legislation, created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau http://1.usa.gov/j5onG
45. Created rules that reduce the influence of speculators in the oil market. http://bit.ly/MDnA1t
46. Fashioned rules so that banks can no
longer use YOUR money to invest in high-risk financial instruments that
work against their own customers’ interests. http://bit.ly/fnTayj
47. Supported the concept of allowing stockholders to vote on executive compensation. http://bit.ly/fnTayj
48. Endorsed and supported the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act of 2009 that would close offshore tax avoidance loopholes. http://bit.ly/esOdfB http://bit.ly/eG4DPM
49. Negotiated a deal with Swiss banks
that now permits the US government to gain access to the records of
criminals and tax evaders. http://bit.ly/htfDgw
50. Signed the American Jobs and Closing
Tax Loopholes Act, which closed many of the loopholes that allowed
companies to send jobs overseas, and avoid paying US taxes by moving
money offshore. http://1.usa.gov/bd1RTq
51. Established a Consumer Protection Financial Bureau designed to protect consumers from financial sector excesses. http://bit.ly/fnTayj
52. Oversaw and then signed a Democratic
bill constituting the most sweeping food safety legislation since the
Great Depression. http://thedc.com/gxkCtP
53. Through the Fraud Enforcement and
Recovery Act, extended the False Claims Act to combat fraud by companies
and individuals usingmoney from the TARP and Stimulus programs. http://bit.ly/SLTcSa
54. Set up rules for banks in handling legal marijuana money. http://nyti.ms/1b80o2K
Enhanced Civil Rights and Anti-Discrimination
55. Along with Congressional Democrats,
advocated for and signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate
Crimes Prevention Act, which made it a federal crime to assault anyone
based on his or her sexual orientation or gender identity. http://bit.ly/gsMSJ7
56. Pushed through, signed and demanded
the Pentagon enact a repeal of the discriminatory “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”
policy that forced soldiers to lie in order to be eligible to fight for
their country, and put our troops at risk by disqualifying many
qualified soldiers from helping. http://bit.ly/fdahuH http://bit.ly/mZV4Pz
57. Extended benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. http://1.usa.gov/g2RLCj
58. Appointed more openly gay officials than anyone in history. http://bit.ly/g1lA7D
59. Appointed first openly transgender Cabinet Official in History. http://bit.ly/58zUp7
60. Changed HUD rules to prohibit gender and sexual orientation-based discrimination in housing bit.ly/9RxEnP
61. Changed his mind and publicly expressed support for same-sex marriage. http://bit.ly/JsiFKp
62. Issued a Presidential Memorandum reaffirming the rights of gay couples to make medical decisions for each other. http://1.usa.gov/aUueGT
63. Wrote and signed an Executive Order
establishing a White House Council on Women and Girls to ensure that all
Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies evaluate the effect of their
policies and programs on women and families. http://bit.ly/e1puTk http://1.usa.gov/rFfqMM
64. Signed the Democratic-sponsored
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which restored basic protections against
pay discrimination for women and other workers. This was after the GOP
blocked the bill in 2007. Only 5 Republican Senators voted for the
bill. http://bit.ly/fT3Cxg
65. Signed two executive orders that
mirror provisions of the Paycheck Fairness Act, because the GOP Congress
refuses to pass it. It makes is possible for employees to talk about
their salaries without retaliation, and orders salary data collection.
These measures will make it harder for employers to pay women less. http://huff.to/1nwVOWf
66. Expanded funding for the Violence Against Women Act. http://1.usa.gov/dSbI0x
67. Under his guidance, National Labor
Relations Board issued final rules that require all employers to
prominently post employees’ rights where all employees or prospective
employees can see it, including all websites and intranets. http://1.usa.gov/qu2EhQ
68. Advocated that United Nations adopt a policy supporting gay rights worldwide. http://lat.ms/pQe1RS
69. Issued an order requiring hospitals to allow visitation by same-sex couples. http://reut.rs/llNJek
70. Appointed Kareem Dale as the first ever Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy. http://1.usa.gov/fi5IY0
71. Helped Democrats in Congress pass and signed the Civil Rights History Act. http://bit.ly/th0JC8
72. Established the White House Council
of Native American Affairs, to improve government-to-government
relations with Native American nations. http://1.usa.gov/1cIEeEv
73. Formed a commission to examine and make recommendations for fixing the broken voting system. http://wapo.st/16K0D
74. As soon as the Supreme Court
invalidated the Defense of Marriage Act, he moved to extend federal
benefits to same-sex couples. http://wapo.st/1avDjue
75. At a press conference August 9,
2013, gave up a small measure of executive power, promising to create
adversarial process in FISA regarding NSA surveillance. http://1.usa.gov/1dQmnyQ
76. Shattered another glass ceiling by naming Janet Yellen chair of the Federal Reserve beginning Feb. 1, 2014. http://usat.ly/1gqMBfk
77. Appointed several prominent gay
athletes and others, and plans to show US government’s commitment to gay
rights to anti-gay Russia. http://on.cpsj.com/1fckN9h
78. Ordered a review of capital punishment policies after several botched executions. http://nyti.ms/RDJp58
Major Improvements in Foreign Relations, American Status Around the World
79. Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any previous president during his first six months in office. http://bit.ly/hZycda
80. As he promised, he gave a speech at a major Islamic forum in Cairo early in his administration.http://nyti.ms/dKvY4g
81. Helped to restore America’s
reputation around the world as a global leader that does the “right
thing” in world affairs, at least according to the rest of the world. http://bit.ly/h743y7 http://bit.ly/ho4TCr
82. Re-established and reinforced our partnership with NATO and other allies on strategic international issues. http://1.usa.gov/e7QuDj
83. Closed a number of secret detention facilities. http://nyti.ms/rpUc9l
84. Improved relations with Middle East countries by appointing special envoys. http://1.usa.gov/tiGAGe
85. Pushed forward the first realistic
Middle East peace strategy in more than a decade, without abandoning the
two-state solution. http://wapo.st/1avyste
86. Pushed for military to emphasize devlopment of foreign language skills. http://bit.ly/AxUCLV
87. Offered $400 million to the people living in Gaza, called on both Israel and the Palestinians to stop inciting violence. http://bit.ly/9axfWh
88. Refused to give Israel the green
light to attack Iran over their possible nuclear program, and thus avoid
another war that Republicans wanted. http://bit.ly/xVmSZK
89. Worked with Democratic Congress to make donations to Haiti tax deductible in 2009. http://huff.to/6YkAVY
90. Established a new U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue. http://1.usa.gov/eX28DP
91. Issued Executive Order blocking interference and helping to stabilize Somalia. http://1.usa.gov/hxdf8U
92. Established new, more reasonable
policies in our relations with Cuba, such as allowing Cuban-Americans to
visit their families and send money to support them. http://n.pr/hY3Kwa http://nyti.ms/emQBde
93. Ordered the closure of the prison at
Guantanamo Bay. It was Republicans (and, unfortunately, progressive
Democrats) who prevented follow through. http://bit.ly/eW6CVF
94. Ordered a review of our detention
and interrogation policy, and prohibited the use of torture, or what
Bush called “enhanced interrogation.” He ordered interrogators to limit
their actions to the Army Field manual. http://bit.ly/g6MTuC
95. Ordered all secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere to be closed. http://bbc.in/h6N9ax
96. Released the Bush torture memos. http://bit.ly/hWJ5z0
97. On his second day in office, he
signed a detailed Executive Order that banned torture, reversed all
Bush torture policies, and put the United States in compliance with the
Geneva Convention. http://1.usa.gov/dL6Zve http://nyti.ms/hzWWys
98. In response to the emerging “Arab
Spring,” he created a Rapid Response fund, to assist emerging
democracies with foreign aid, debt relief, technical assistance and
investment packages in order to show that the United States stands with
them. http://bit.ly/zfmGv9
99. Ended the F-22 program, saving $4
billion. Though the single-seat, twin-engine, fighter aircraft cost $358
million each, and the military had 187 built, the F-22 never flew a
combat mission. http://slate.me/PYzmzT (Just as an aside, that “fiscally conservative” Republican Party fought to keep it.)
100. Passed the Iran Sanctions Act, to prevent war and encourage the Iranian government to give up their nuclear program. http://1.usa.gov/wLtNjb
101. Ended the Iraq War. http://tgr.ph/ru0tyS
102. Worked to keep our withdrawal from Afghanistan on track, despite GOP opposition.http://reut.rs/1cIOsF1 Reiterated that commitment in 2014. http://nyti.ms/1exnmRF
103. Authorized and oversaw a secret mission by SEAL Team Six to rescue two hostages held by Somali pirates. http://bit.ly/y8c9Fz
104. Through United Nations Ambassador
Susan Rice, helped negotiate a peaceful split of Sudan into two
countries, this allowing for the creation of an independent South
Sudan. http://reut.rs/qzE0Tj
A More Realistic Approach to “Defense” and National Security
105. Created a comprehensive new strategy for dealing with the international nuclear threat. http://1.usa.gov/gDX1nE
106. Authorized a $1.4 billion reduction in Star Wars program in 2010. http://1.usa.gov/gLFZl2
107. Restarted nuclear nonproliferation
talks and built up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols to
where they had been before Bush. http://lat.ms/gkcl3i
108. Signed and pushed through ratification a new SALT Treaty. http://bit.ly/f3JVtw
109. Negotiated and signed a new START Treaty that will lst until at least 2021. http://1.usa.gov/cI1bC4
110. Through the National Defense
Authorization Act (NDAA), reversed the Bush Administration and committed
to no permanent military bases in Iraq. http://bit.ly/hk73OJ
111. Developed first comprehensive
strategy with regard to Afghanistan and Pakistan designed to facilitate
the defeat of al Qaeda and the withdrawal of most troops, as well as the
rebuilding of Afghanistan. http://wapo.st/ee4Xcs
112. Returned our focus to Afghanistan,
stabilized the country, and began the process of withdrawing our troops
from the country. http://bit.ly/lNXUna
113. Negotiated a deal with Afghan
govenment, to withdraw troops and military support, while assisting in
rebuilding and modernizing of the country. http://bit.ly/K362an
114. Took steps to severely weaken al Qaeda and limited their ability to terrorize the world. http://yhoo.it/n5lXs6
115. Negotiated and signed a nuclear nonproliferation treaty with India. http://1.usa.gov/aHp0Cn
116. Took decisive action to use NATO to
limit the slaughter of innocents in Libya, so that the Libyan people
could topple the despotic Khadaffy government and determine their own
fate. http://aje.me/qAh4Sj
117. Got Egyptian President/dictator Mubarak to leave the Egyptian government to the people, to determine their own fate. http://f24.my/efvgNZ
118. In 2011, reoriented American focus
from the Middle East to the Asian-Pacific region by simultaneouly
engaging China and crafting new alliances with Asian countries
uncomfortable with Chinese behavior. http://bit.ly/RGlMDi
119. Restored federal agencies such as
FEMA to the point that they have been able to manage a huge number of
natural disasters successfully. http://bit.ly/h8Xj7z
120. Authorized Navy SEALS to
successfully secure the release of a US captain held by Somali pirates
and increased patrols off the Somali coast. http://nyti.ms/efBO7B
121. Has repeatedly beefed up border security http://bit.ly/mMYB4i
122. Ordered and oversaw the Navy SEALS operation that killed Osama bin Laden. http://bit.ly/jChpgw
123. Throughan executive order,
established the Homeland Security Partnership Council, which will
attempt to enhance the nation’s ability to “address homeland security
priorities, from responding to natural disasters to preventing
terrorism, by utilizing diverse perspectives, skills, tools, and
resources.” http://1.usa.gov/VJjLXO
124. Breaking with presidential
tradition, especially recent tradition, instead of just attacking Syria
in the wake of chemical weapons attacks on Syrians, Obama ordered a full
report on the decision-making process, should he decide to order one. http://cbsn.ws/184RFgu
Returned Government to Treating Soldiers and Veterans with Dignity and Respect
125. Along with Congressional Democrats,
not only reauthorized families of fallen soldiers to be able to visit
when the body arrives at Dover AFB, but also provided funding for it.
Ended the media blackout on coverage of the return of fallen soldiers.
http://nyti.ms/glqN66 http://bbc.in/gWSSkA
126. Funded Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with an extra $1.4 billion to improve veterans’ services. http://1.usa.gov/huhqfo
127. Provided active combat troops with better body armor. http://bit.ly/hzSv2h
128. Created Joint Virtual Lifetime
Electronic Record program for military personnel, in order to improve
the quality of their medical care. http://1.usa.gov/f4yaxW
129. Put an end to the Bush-era
stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan beyond their
enlistment date. (personal note: my son will be in harm’s way for six
fewer months with Obama as president, so you know I love this one.) http://nyti.ms/e2YQ7Q
130. Along with Congressional Democrats,
supported and signed Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and
Transparency Act, which made more money available to enable better
medical care for veterans. http://1.usa.gov/fN4ur1
131. Along with Congressional Democrats,
ushered through largest spending increase in 30 years for Department of
Veterans Affairs, with money to go to improved medical facilities, and
to assist states in acquiring or constructing state nursing homes and
extended care facilities. http://1.usa.gov/gY8O3x
132. Created the Green Vet Initiative,
which provided special funding to the Labor Department to provide
veterans with training in green jobs. http://bit.ly/epwUQY
133. Initiated and signed a recruitment and employment plan to get more veterans into government jobs. http://bit.ly/b48coi
134. Oversaw a $4.6 billion expansion of the Veterans Administration budget to pay for more mental health professionals. http://bit.ly/gjzTxX
135. Signed the Military Spouses
Residency Relief Act, which ensures that spouses of military personnel
who are forced to move because their spouse is posted for military duty
will be able to avoid state taxes in their temporary residence. http://bit.ly/1Gh0NX
136. Issued an Executive Order to improve access to mental health care for veterans, military personnel and their families. http://1.usa.gov/TP7PVZ
Refocused the Federal Government on Education, Made Rational Reforms
137. Repeatedly increased funding for
student financial aid, and at the same time cut the banks completely out
of the process, thus us creating greater accountability. http://bit.ly/gYWd30 http://bit.ly/e9c7Dr http://bit.ly/eEzTNq
138. Reformed student loan program, to make it possible for students to refinance at a lower rate. http://nyti.ms/dMvHOt
139. Created a rating system for
colleges, so that those applying for student financial aid know better
what they’re paying for. http://bit.ly/14Dn7UL
140. Through the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act , invested heavily in elementary, secondary and
post-secondary education. http://1.usa.gov/gGRIAr
141. Created the Race to the Top
program, which encouraged states to come up with effective school
reforms and rewards the best of them. http://bit.ly/NHtZ7L
142. Oversaw major expansion of broadband availability in K-12 schools nationwide. http://bit.ly/fNDcj3
143. Oversaw major expansion in school construction. http://bit.ly/fYwNrV
144. Also through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, he put $5 billion into early education, including Head Start. http://1.usa.gov/tzT2Rr
145. Signed the Democratic-sponsored Post-9/11 GI Bill, also known as GI Bill 2.0 http://bit.ly/hPhG7J
146. Oversaw expansion of the Pell Grants program, to expand opportunity for low and middle income students to go to college. http://bit.ly/hI6tXz
147. Along with Democratic Congress,
passed and signed Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which
provided an extra $12.2 billion in funds. http://1.usa.gov/dQvtUe
148. Took major new steps to protec
students from ineffective for-profit colleges through “gainful
employment” measures, whereby schools have to demonstrate that its
students actually find work to get federal aid. http://1.usa.gov/jkzQe2
149. With First Lady Michelle Obama,
passed the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, which will improve nutrition in
schools and make children healthier. http://1.usa.gov/GAXkSk
150. In his continuing effort to make
college more affordable and accountable, will begin rating colleges with
regard to affordability and value. http://bit.ly/14Dn7UL
151. Initiated a reform of federal job
training programs, to make them more relevant to the current economy and
the job market. http://1.usa.gov/1kZLQHG
Took an Adult View on Science, Technology and Health Care
152. Created a Presidential Memorandum to restore scientific integrity in government decision-making. http://1.usa.gov/g2SDuw
153. Opened up process for fast-tracking patent approval for green energy projects. http://bit.ly/j0KV2U
154. Eliminated Bush-era restrictions on
embryonic stem cell research, and provided increased federal support
for biomedical and stem cell research. http://bit.ly/h36SSO http://ti.me/edezge
155. Through the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act, committed more federal funding, about $18 billion, to
support non-defense science and research labs. http://nyti.ms/fTs9t7
156. Signed Democratic-sponsored
Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, the first comprehensive
attempt to improve the lives of Americans living with paralysis. http://bit.ly/fOi2rb
157. Expanded the Nurse-Family
Partnership program, which provides home visits by trained registered
nurses to low-income expectant mothers and their families, to cover more
first-time mothers.http://bit.ly/jRRRJc
158. Obama EPA reversed research ethics
standards which allowed humans to be used as “guinea pigs” in tests of
the effects of chemicals, to comply with numerous codes of medical
ethics. http://bit.ly/bKgqdS
159. Conducted a cyberspace policy review. http://1.usa.gov/gmbdvC
160. Provided financial support for private sector space programs. http://bit.ly/fn8ucr
161. Oversaw enhanced earth mapping, to provide valuable data for agricultural, educational, scientific, and government use. http://bit.ly/dNTRyP
162. Along with Democrats in Congress, ushered through and signed a bill authorizing FDA to regulate tobacco. http://on.msnbc.com/fiKViB
As a result, the FDA has Ordered Tobacco Companies to Disclose
Cigarette Ingredients and banned sale of cigarettes falsely labeled as
“light.”
163. Through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, provided $500 million for Health Professions Training Programs. http://bit.ly/ecQSgA
164. Increased funding for community-based prevention programs. http://bit.ly/frMPG3
165. Oversaw a 50% decrease in cost of prescription drugs for seniors. http://bit.ly/e5b1iq http://1.usa.gov/fVNkt9
166. Eliminated the Bush-era practice of forbidding Medicare from negotiating with drug companies on price. http://bit.ly/fOkG5b
167. Two weeks after taking office,
signed Democratic-sponsored Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization
Act, which increased the number of children covered by health insurance
by 4 million. http://bit.ly/fDEzGv
168. Urged Congress to investigate
Anthem Blue Cross for raising premiums 39% without explanation.
Democratic Rep. Waxman responded by launching a probe, and Anthem Blue
Cross put increase on hold for two months. http://yhoo.it/e8Tj9C
169. Ushered through and signed
Affordable Care Act, which expanded health insurance coverage to at
least 30 million more people, ended many common insurance company
practices that are often detrimental to those with coverage. He also
established healthcare.gov, so that taxpayers could keep up with
developments. http://www.healthcare.gov/
170. Through ACA, allowed children to be covered under their parents’ policy until they turned 26. http://nyti.ms/fNB26V
171. Through the ACA, provided tax
breaks to allow 3.5 million small business to provide health insurance
to their employees, and 29 million people will receive tax breaks to
help them afford health insurance. http://nyti.ms/fNB26V
172. Through the ACA, expanded Medicaid to those making up to 133% of the federal poverty level. http://nyti.ms/ekMWpo
173. Through the ACA, health insurance
companies now have to disclose how much of your premium actually goes to
pay for patient care. http://nyti.ms/fNB26V
174. Provisions in the ACA have already
resulted in Medicare costs actually declining slightly this fiscal year,
for the first time in many years, according to the Congressional Budget
Office. The increase in 2011 was 4%, which is very low compared to the
average 12% annual inflation rate during previous 40 years.http://1.usa.gov/oMxpTh
175. Created the HIV Care Continuum
Initiative, to strengthen the government’s ability to respond to the
continuing domestic HIV epidemic, after years of Republicans weakening
the government’s ability to deal with the crisis. http://1.usa.gov/1iLED0t
176. Expanded space exploration and discovery options to include more players. http://1.usa.gov/13qmZpm
177. Through the Connect America Fund,
pushed through and received FCC approval for a move of $8 billion in
subsidies away from telephone landlines to assist lower-income rural
families in accessing broadband. http://lat.ms/vhRUEs http://bit.ly/129V3SY
178. In the wake of the West Fertilizer
tragedy, in which an entire small town was devastated by an explosion at
a fertilizer plant, in part because Republican negligence let the
company do whatever it wanted, formed the Chemical Safety and Security
Working Group, to work on measures to prevent another such event. http://1.usa.gov/18kHSlA
Strengthened the Middle Class and Families, and Fought Poverty
179. Worked to provide affordable, high-quality child care to working families. http://bit.ly/fNfidS
180. Cracked down on companies that were
previously denying sick pay, vacation and health insurance, and Social
Security and Medicare tax payments through abuse of the employee
classification of independent contractor. http://nyti.ms/fOGLcj
181. Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act , cut taxes for 95% of America’s working families. http://bit.ly/eSEI4F
182. Tax rates for average working families are the lowest since 1950. http://bit.ly/f74pD8
183. Extended and fully funded the patch for the Alternative Minimum Tax for 10 years. http://bit.ly/eFeSdP
184. Extended discounted health
coverage under the COBRA health insurance law for the unemployed from 9
months to 15 months, and he’s also extended unemployment benefits more
than a few times. http://aol.it/evtVxD http://nyti.ms/emrqKJ http://bit.ly/hOtIpg http://bit.ly/fTT7kz
185. Provided a $20 billion increase for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps). http://nyti.ms/gfLqyM
186. Signed an Executive Order that established the White House Office of Urban Affairs. http://wapo.st/eWECA8
187. Included the Buffet Rule in his
2014 budget proposal, thus trying to fulfill a campaign promise, to make
sure tax rates are fair between the rich and the middle class. http://1.usa.gov/19PkdQo
188. Used the fiscal cliff negotiations
to extend for five additional years the American Opportunity Tax Credit,
which provides tax credits to families for college-related expenses,
thus saving those families up to $10,000. http://onforb.es/17zYg3u
189. Increased protections for those who are unemployed and are seeking a government job. http://1.usa.gov/1jgXATu
190. Updated and modernized overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) http://1.usa.gov/1iGDO8e
Concrete Steps to Improve The Environment and Address Our Energy Needs
191. Fast-tracked regulations to allow states to enact fuel efficiency standards that exceeded federal standards. http://nyti.ms/e8e94x
192. Fast-tracked increased fuel economy
standards for vehicles beginning with the 2011 model year. It was the
first time such standards had been increased in a decade. http://politi.co/hiaPKM
193. Oversaw establishment of an Energy
Partnership for the Americas, to create more markets for American-made
biofuels and green energy technologies. http://bit.ly/lZp73y
194. Obama EPA reversed a Bush-era decision to allow the largest mountaintop removal project in US history. http://bit.ly/lP3yEL
195. Ordered the Department of Energy to implement more aggressive efficiency standards for common household appliances. http://1.usa.gov/g3MTbu
196. Ordered energy plants to prepare to
produce at least 15% of all energy through renewable resources like
wind and solar, by 2021. http://reut.rs/fV155p (Republicans are trying hard to kill it.)
197. Oversaw the creation of an
initiative that converts old factories and manufacturing centers into
new clean technology centers. http://bit.ly/mjnq2R
198. Bypassed Republican opposition in Congress and ordered EPA to begin regulating and measuring carbon emissions. http://bit.ly/froaP5
199. Obama EPA ruled that CO2 is a pollutant. http://bit.ly/iQTSNN
200. Doubling federal spending on clean energy research. http://bit.ly/iN0sCE
201. Pushed through a tax credit to help people buy plug-in hybrid cars. http://bit.ly/j8UP5Y
202. Created a program to develop
renewable energy projects on the waters of our Outer Continental Shelf
that will produce electricity from wind, wave, and ocean currents.
http://1.usa.gov/fgfRWq
203. Reengaged in the climate change and
greenhouse gas emissions agreements talks, and proposed one himself. He
also addressed the U.N. Climate Change Conference, officially reversing
the Bush era stance that climate change was a “hoax.” http://bit.ly/dX6Vj3 http://bit.ly/fE2PxK http://nyti.ms/hfeqvv
204. Fully supported the initial phase of the creation of a legally-binding treaty to reduce mercury emissions worldwide. http://bit.ly/eJ6QOO
205. Required states to provide incentives to utilities to reduce their energy consumption. http://bit.ly/lBhk7P
206. Improved siting, review and
permitting stations for power plants, in an attempt to seriously improve
the nation’s electric grid. http://1.usa.gov/1l8zNqn
207. Following the neglect of Bush’s
eight year reign, he reengaged in a number of treaties and agreements
designed to protect the Antarctic. http://bit.ly/fzQUFO
208. Created tax write-offs for
purchases of hybrid automobiles, and later he and Democrats morphed that
program into one that includes electric cars. http://bit.ly/glCukV
209. Established a quadrennial review of
our energy infrastructure, to encourage a modernization of the grid,
and to encourage the transition away from fossil fuel use. http://1.usa.gov/1nx2oMo
210. Mandated that federal government
fleet purchases be for fuel-efficient American vehicles, and encouraged
that federal agencies support experimental, fuel-efficient vehicles. http://bit.ly/h5KZqy http://1.usa.gov/fLWq5c http://1.usa.gov/hmUSbk
211. Got BP to cough up $20 billion to
establish Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, to reduce the need for
taxpayer funds to be used for compensation and clean up. http://wapo.st/ds2BxT (Note: it took 20 years to get $1.3 billion for the Exxon Valdez spill. )
212. Oversaw and pushed through an
amendment to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 authorizing advances from Oil
Spill Liability Trust Fund for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. http://1.usa.gov/yTRYVo
213. Actively tried to amend the Oil
Pollution Act of 1990 to eliminate the liability limits for those
companies responsible for large oil spills. http://nyti.ms/bxjDi3
214. Became the first President to
simply say “Climate Change is a fact,” and set up the first federal
government protocols for dealing with the impacts of climate change. http://1.usa.gov/1b7V67B
215. Initiated Criminal and Civil inquiries into the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. http://nyti.ms/bVuB7a
216. Asserted federal legal supremacy to bar Texas from authorizing new refinery permits on its own. http://bit.ly/ww8eMd
217. Set up new, stricter standards limiting power plant emissions. http://1.usa.gov/1mML2M3
218. Strengthened the Endangered Species Act. http://bit.ly/hscjsH
219. Strengthened protection for wildlife, and expanded enforcement of laws against wildlife trafficking. http://1.usa.gov/1fce1Ai
220. Obama EPA improved boiler safety standards to improve air quality, and save 6500 lives per year. http://bit.ly/jYH7nt
221. Through the EPA, attemped to take
steps to severely limit the use of antibiotics in livestock feed, to
increase their efficacy in humans. http://bit.ly/fBuWd2
222. Through new EPA regulations, he
created a pretext for closing the dirtiest power plants in the country,
by limiting emissions of mercury and other toxic gasses. http://bit.ly/rQCIgA
223. Increased funding for National Parks and Forests by 10% http://bit.ly/fbJPjY
224. Announced greatly improved commercial fuel efficiency standards. http://1.usa.gov/oQiC1K
225. Announced a huge increase in
average fuel economy standards from 27.5mpg in 2010 to 35.5mpg starting
in 2016 and 54.5 starting in 2025 http://1.usa.gov/qtghsW
226. Issued an Executive Order to
facilitate investments in industrial energy efficiency that will help
create jobs, while strengthening US manufacturing. Increased efficiency
could save businesses $100 billion over the next decade. http://1.usa.gov/WsIgbx
227. Through an executive order, set up
the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, which will to oversee Gulf
Coast restoration efforts in the wake of the 2010 BP oil splll. The
money to fund the restoration efforts comes from fines against BP. http://1.usa.gov/Rxjb29
228. Through executive actions and
bypassing the ineffectual Rublican Congress, announced the most
comprehensive plan to combat climate change in a generation. http://bit.ly/13lXhET
But That’s Not All…
229. Expanded trade agreements to include stricter labor and environmental agreements such as NAFTA. http://bit.ly/etznpY
230. Oversaw funding of the design of a
new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History, which is
scheduled to open on the National Mall in 2015. He protected the
funding during the recent budget negotiations. http://on.fb.me/fD0EVO http://bit.ly/ff5Luv
231. Oversaw and passed increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. http://bit.ly/dFb8qF
232. Nominated Sonia Sotomayor and Elena
Kagan to the Supreme Court. Sotomayor is the first Hispanic Justice in
the court’s history, and the women represent only the third and fourth
women to serve on the court, out of a total of 112 justices. http://huff.to/eOChg6 http://bit.ly/i02wgP
233. Appointed the most diverse Cabinet in history, including more women than any other incoming president. http://bit.ly/dX6vNB
234. Eliminated federal funding for abstinence-only education, and rescinded the global gag rule. http://bit.ly/eCFAI1 http://bit.ly/f92drF
235. Loosened the rules and allowed the
14 states that legalized medical marijuana to regulate themselves
without federal interference. http://huff.to/eQfa7j
236. Signed national service
legislation, increasing funding for national service groups, including
triple the size of the Americorps program. http://bit.ly/idgQH5
237. Signed an Executive Order that will speed up deployment of a more comprehensive broadband infrastructure. http://1.usa.gov/M7rVpe
238. Signed an Executive Order creating
jobs immediately by instructing them to reduce the time needed for
review and permitting of infrastructure projects. http://1.usa.gov/GHxaYt
239. Signed a bill that provided $4.3 billion in additional assistance to 9/11 first responders. http://bit.ly/o7cWYS
240. Signed an Executive Order pledging support for efforts to end the global problem of violence against women and girls. http://1.usa.gov/MHTRVU
241. Signed the Claims Resolution Act,
which provided $4.6 billion in funding for a legal settlement with black
and Native American farmers who had been cheated out of government
loans and natural resource royalties in the past. http://1.usa.gov/dGppUa
242. To help those communities
devastated by Hurricane Sandy, issued an executive order setting up the
Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force, and asked Congress to approve $60
billion in supplemental assistance to aid in storm recovery. http://1.usa.gov/134L7hl
243. Produced 23 Executive actions
designed to make it easier for law enforcement to identify those who
shouldn’t have guns, thus helping them enforce the law. http://on.wsj.com/SX9xaZ
And Did You Know?
244. Despite the characterizations of
some, Obama’s success rate in winning congressional votes on issues was
an unprecedented 96.7% for his first year in office. Though he is often
cited as superior to Obama, President Lyndon Johnson’s success rate in
1965 was only 93%. http://n.pr/i3d7cY
And of course…
245. Despite the odds, became the first black president and was reelected by a wide margin.
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