by Brian Hayes | Top Right News In a shocking development, Barack Obama’s Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) announced they may “take charge” of the November
elections in multiple states. The stunning news is leading some Donald Trump supporters to
worry that an election “coup” may be planned to ensure a Hillary Clinton
“win.”
The announcement follows the dubious claim Monday that “Russian
hackers” were actively targeting the election systems of U.S. states.
On August 29th, the Washington Post breathlessly reported that: But the claim turned out to be completely false.
Hackers had not compromised the state system or even any county system. One hacker — likely based in Arizona — reportedly stolen the username and password of a single election official in tiny Gila County, which has less than 1% of the state’s population.
But Tuesday, DHS was taking matters a big step further.
Obama officials cited a little-known post-9/11 law that allows
DHS or Department of Justice (DOJ) to take control of part of the
nation’s “critical infrastructure” in the event of a terror attack or
attempted attack.
That rule envisioned “critical infrastructure” as the electric grid,
water systems, subways, trains and buses, etc. But the Obama
Administration seems to be using a dubious premise and extending the concept to the election systems of all 50 states.
As the Washington Examinerreported Tuesday evening, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said:
“We should carefully consider whether our
election system, our election process, is critical infrastructure like
the financial sector, like the power grid,” Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said.
“There’s a vital national interest in our election process, so I do think we need to consider whether it should be considered by my department and others critical infrastructure.“
A White House policy directive adds…
“The federal government also has a responsibility to
strengthen the security and resilience of its own critical
infrastructure, for the continuity of national essential functions, and
to organize itself to partner effectively with and add value to the
security and resilience efforts of critical infrastructure owners and
operators.”
Conservatives immediately expressed concerns that Obama might try to prevent — or even reverse — a Donald Trump victory on November 8th, by claiming the “Russians hacked it,” or some other concocted “irregularities.”
Radio host Sandy Rios interviewed The Heritage Foundation’s Hans von Spakovsky on the subject:
Rios asked, “Honestly, did any antennae go up with you
when they started talking about voting booths being part of critical
infrastructure?” Von Spakovsky replied, “Oh yeah, now remember this is the same White House that says there’s no voter fraud in the United States. You know, they deny that voter fraud ever occurred and yet suddenly they’re saying, ‘Oh wait, we may need to designate as critical infrastructure the American election system.’”
Said Rios: “It just seems like the creepy laying of groundwork for
something that could be really bad. Like, okay, I’m going to step off
the plank here. Let’s say maybe the election ends up being really,
really close and because they’ve already laid the groundwork that Donald Trump is (supposedly) connected with Putin….So,
gee, if it’s close, maybe it’s probably the Russians, then, that are
messing with our election apparatus and so then the Justice Department
and the executive branch come in to kind of fix it.”
Von Spakovsky sees an even easier to trigger “justification” for
Obama and his goons to intrude: “Well, I wouldn’t quite go so far as
them blaming it on the Russians. I think it would be more, they would
say, ‘Well there was a potential for hacker attacks so ‘Justice’
Department lawyers need to be present in polling places all across the
country and those polling places, when those lawyers are there,
remember those lawyers aren’t non-partisan, unbiased government
officials in white lab coats.”
He warns, “All the people who work in the Civil Rights Division, those are the lawyers who would be out there, they are virulent left wing partisans.
So they would be in the polling places.” He notes that the statement
released by this type of hard left political operative would be of the
type to claim “We saw all kinds of voter suppression efforts going on in
that precinct, in that area” which would serve as the basis for federal election tampering if their favorite candidate loses.
Sounds like the Democrats have seen Hillary’s collapsing poll numbers, and want to make sure the fix is in. Be very afraid, America.
Was early onset industrial-era warming anthropogenic, as Abram et al. claim?
A guest post by Nic Lewis
Introduction
A recent PAGES 2k Consortium paper in Nature,[i] Abram et al., that claims human-induced, greenhouse gas driven warming commenced circa 180 years ago,[ii]
has been attracting some attention. The study arrives at its start
dates by using a change-point analysis method, SiZer, to assess when the
most recent significant and sustained warming trend commenced.
Commendably, the lead author has provided the data and Matlab code used
in the study, including the SiZer code.[iii]
Their post-1500 AD proxy-based regional reconstructions are the
PAGES2K reconstructions, which have been discussed and criticized on
many occasions at CA (see tag), with the Gergis et al 2016 Australian
reconstruction substituted for the withdrawn version. I won’t comment on
the validity of the post-1500 AD proxy-based regional reconstructions
on which the observational side of their study is based – Steve McIntyre
is much better placed than me to do so.
However, analysis of those reconstructions can only provide evidence
as to when sustained warming started, not as to whether the cause was
natural or anthropogenic. In this post, I will examine and question the
paper’s conclusions about the early onset of warming detected in the
study being attributable to the small increase in greenhouse gas
emissions during the start of the Industrial Age.
The authors’ claim that the start of anthropogenic warming can be
dated to the 1830s is based on model simulations of climate change from
1500 AD on.[iv]
A simple reality check points to that claim being likely to be wrong:
it flies in the face of the best estimates of the evolution of radiative
forcing. According to the IPCC 5th Assessment [Working Group I] Report
(AR5) estimates, the change in total effective radiative forcing from
preindustrial (which the IPCC takes as 1750) to 1840 was –0.01 W/m2, or +0.01 W/m2
if changes only in anthropogenic forcings, and not solar and volcanic
forcings, are included. Although the increase in forcing from all
greenhouse gases (including ozone) is estimated to be +0.20 W/m2
by 1840, that forcing is estimated to be almost entirely cancelled out
by negative forcing, primarily from anthropogenic aerosols and partly
from land use change increasing planetary albedo.[v] Total anthropogenic forcing did not reach +0.20 W/m2 until 1890; in 1870 it was still under +0.10 W/m2.
It is not credible that a negligible increase of 0.01 W/m2 would have had any measurable effect on ocean or land temperatures globally; it is doubtful that an increase of 0.1 W/m2 would do so. Even a change of 0.20 W/m2
would have affected global mean surface temperature (GMST) by less than
0.1°C. Moreover, anthropogenic aerosol and land use change forcing was
concentrated in the Northern hemisphere extratropics and the tropics,
with little in the Southern extratropics, which would suggest that the
onset of positive net anthropogenic forcing (and hence anthropogenic
warming) in the tropics and Northern hemisphere extratropics would have
been delayed until circa 1870. Yet it is in those regions that Abrams et
al. find the earliest onset of anthropogenic warming.
It is possible that AR5 best estimates overstate the strength of
anthropogenic aerosol forcing, with the result that total anthropogenic
forcing became positive enough to have a measurable impact on
temperatures at an earlier date than if those estimates were correct.
However, if so, that is good news. It would imply that climate
sensitivity – both transient and equilibrium – is lower than current
best estimates based on AR5 forcing values suggest, since the observed
warming over the industrial era would then have been produced by a
larger increase in forcing. The influence of volcanism on the diagnosed early onset dates of warming
How, then, are the study’s results to be explained? The study’s
change point analysis, whilst interesting, seems to me an unsuitable
method of detecting the onset of anthropogenic warming. One would expect
to find a change of slope in global temperature somewhere – depending
on natural internal climate variability – around the late 1830s,. That
is because, although anthropogenic forcing did not become significant
until much later in the 19th century, there was a big change in average
volcanic forcing at that time. Over the industrial period (taken as
1750–2015) as a whole, on the AR5 best estimate basis volcanic forcing
averaged –0.4 W/m2. Whilst it averaged close to that level
during the last four decades of the 18th century, during the first four
decades of the 19th century there was heavy volcanic activity,[vi] with (according to IPCC AR5 estimates) forcing averaging –1.0 W/m2. By contrast, volcanic forcing over the next four decades was small, averaging only –0.1 W/m2. The resulting +0.9 W/m2,
change in average forcing is several times larger than the total change
in anthropogenic forcing over the whole of the 19th century.
I would expect that pattern of forcing to produce, on a decadal mean
basis, a depressed GMST level from circa 1800 to the late 1830s followed
by a recovery. In the 1880s, when volcanic activity was again high
(Krakatau), one might expect an interruption in the upward movement.
However, Atlantic multidecadal variability is thought to have commenced
an extended upswing during the 1830s, peaking in the late 1800s.[vii]
That would itself have produced a warming trend during that period,
particularly over the Northern hemisphere. Multicentennial internal
climate variability might also have had a role. Moreover, by the late
1800s anthropogenic forcing had become non-negligible at 0.25 W/m2
per AR5, so would have produced a weak warming trend on its own
(although not a strong enough one to counter the effects of Atlantic –
and maybe Pacific – multidecadal variability becoming negative during
the first two decades of the 20th century).
Warming from the late 1830s to the late 19th century due to recovery
from the heavy volcanism earlier in the century and the upswing in
Atlantic multidecadal variability would have been superimposed on a slow
trend of recovery in surface temperature from the Little Ice Age (LIA),
as the ocean interior warmed after the end of the particularly cold
four hundred year period from (according to the paper) AD 1400–1800 – a
process with a similarly long timescale. The resulting temporal pattern
fits the global reconstructions of surface air and sea temperature
trends shown in their Figure 1c and 1d, and would account for a change
point being found in the 1830s or 1840s. But it does not at all imply
that anthropogenic forcing had any measurable influence before the late
1800s. The change of GMST slope circa the late 1830s, and the rise in
GMST from then until the late 1800s, was likely almost entirely due to
natural factors.
Abram et al. claim that diagnosis using SiZer is little affected by
temporary cooling episodes, such as those produced by heavy volcanic
activity. This claim is based on the results of analyses of noisy
synthetic temperature time series in which gradual warming commences at a
known time. They show that a decade-long downwards excursion in
temperature starting 25 or 50 years before the actual warming
commencement date brings forward the diagnosed warming commencement date
by only five to twenty years (Extended Data Figure 3a). However, heavy
volcanic activity extended over the first four decades of the 19th
century, not for a single decade. Also, the assumed AR(1) annual
temperature time series autocorrelation of 0.1 looks light, certainly
for sea surface temperatures, where the instrumental record suggests a
figure of 0.4 or so would be more realistic. Moreover, their assumed
ratio of 100-yr trend to 2σ noise of 1:0.5 looks optimistic to me. In
the light of these factors, it seems plausible that the cooling produced
by heavy volcanism during 1800–1839 might have brought forward the
diagnosed second quarter of the 19th century warming commencement dates
by up to several decades from when they would otherwise have been
diagnosed. Abram et al.’s evidence for early warming being anthropogenic
The paper’s conclusions about an anthropogenic origin of the early
warming onset are based on evidence summarised in their Figure 3,
reproduced here as Figure 1.
Figure 1. Reproduction of Figure 3 of Abram et al. 2016
.
I will discuss each source of evidence separately, in the reverse order from where it appears in their Figure 3. Evidence in Abrams et al. Figure 3d
The paper’s authors comment that:
“Naturally forced climate cooling may have helped to set the stage
for the widespread onset of industrial-era warming in the tropical
oceans and over Northern Hemisphere landmasses during the mid-nineteenth
century.”
which is very true, but then go on to say:
“Simulations suggest that recovery from volcanic cooling is not an
essential requirement for reproducing the mid-nineteenth-century onset
of industrial-era warming. Multi-model experiments forced with only
greenhouse gases capture regional onsets for sustained industrial-era
warming that are consistent with the tropical ocean and Northern
Hemisphere continental reconstructions (Fig 3d).”
However, this is irrelevant. It is unsurprising that model
simulations forced only with greenhouse gases, as used in their Figure
3d, produce sustained warming from quite early in the industrial period.
But in fact the historical forcing that produced the warming was the
net sum of greenhouse gas (GHG) forcing and other forcings, which were
mainly negative. As I stated, the AR5 best estimate of the sum total of
historical forcings is almost zero in 1840, and only rises slowly
thereafter. On a rolling 5-year average basis, estimated global total
forcing doesn’t exceed 0.1 W/m2 – enough to produce, within a
decade, a very small warming of 0.02 to 0.05°C – until 1901. However,
GHG forcing reaches a more material level of 0.2 W/m2 in the mid-1840s – at which point total anthropogenic forcing is only 0.05 W/m2. Evidence in Abrams et al. Figure 3c
The only anthropogenic forcing included in CSIRO-Mk3L simulations
used here is from GHG. Various combinations of natural forcings were
employed in addition. Accordingly, the same objections – regarding the
omission of negative non-GHG anthropogenic forcing – apply here as to
the Figure 3d evidence. Evidence in Abrams et al. Figure 3b
The LOVECLIM simulations used here are stated to include “Full
forcing” ones as well as GHG-only, solar only and volcanic only forcing
simulations. However, Full forcing includes only GHG, land use change,
solar and volcanic forcing. It does not include aerosol forcing, the
dominant anthropogenic negative forcing. Accordingly, essentially the
same objections apply here as to the Figure 3c and 3d evidence, albeit
with slightly less force since the minor negative land use change
forcing was included. Perhaps reflecting land use change forcing, in the
Northern hemisphere the diagnosed warming commencement dates with Full
forcing are generally several decades later than those found using the
PAGES 2k reconstruction and the multimodel ensemble used for Figure 3a. Evidence in Abrams et al. Figure 3a
This is really the crux of the evidence supplied by Abrams et al. as
to an anthropogenic cause of early onset warming. The regional warming
onset dates from simulations given in their Table 1, which they claim
are reasonably consistent with the dates they derive from their proxy
reconstructions, are based entirely on the multimodel last-millennium
climate simulations to which their Figure 3a relates. They claim that
these simulations, by ten models, employed full radiative forcings, both
natural and anthropogenic. However, this statement appears to be
incorrect.
The simulations used cover 850–2005 AD in two parts: 1000 year CMIP5
last-millennium (past1000) simulations with forcings that are consistent
with the PMIP3 protocol, extended by CMIP5 historical period
simulations covering 1850–2005. There are two problems with using this
data.
First, the forcings PMIP3 specifies for use in last-millennium climate simulations excludes anthropogenic aerosols.[viii]
That will result in anthropogenic forcing, and warming, reaching a
non-negligible level at a much earlier point in the industrial period
than if all anthropogenic forcings were included at AR5 best estimate
values. For about half the ensemble of ten (nine in practice) models
used, it appears that the last-millennium climate simulations were
continued to 2005 using the same set of PMIP3 forcings, producing a
quasi-historical period simulation covering 1859–2005.
Secondly, it appears that for the remainder of the ensemble of
models, the main CMIP5 historical period (1850–2005) model simulations,
rather than continuations of the past1000 simulations, were used to
extent the past1000 PMIP3-protocol simulations. That is important since,
like the past1000 simulations, the main CMIP5 historical runs were
initialised by branching off from preindustrial control runs. The ocean
will be substantially cooler at the end of the past1000 simulations,
following the long cold 1400–1840 period, than when the historical
simulations were branched off the preindustrial control simulations
(which generally do not have any volcanic forcing). As a result of this
discontinuity, for such models there would be an immediate jump in
temperatures (ignoring any influence of internal variability) between
1849 and 1850. Allowing for a 5–20 year early bias of the SiZer change
point date in the presence of a burst of previous negative forcing
(Extended Data Figure 3a), such as caused by the heavy volcanism over
the first four decades of the 19th century, such jumps could account for
finding warming onset dates in the 1830s.
Although the inclusion of negative anthropogenic aerosol forcing in
the main CMIP5 historical simulations would result in them warming at a
slightly slower rate after the initial jump in 1850 than if
PMIP3-protocol forcings were included, the growth in negative
anthropogenic aerosol forcing between preindustrial and 1850 is, unlike
the rise in GHG, generally ignored in the CMIP5 historical simulations,
so aerosol forcing would start from a zero base in 1850 and so have a
negligible effect over the following few decades. Moreover, two of the
models involved only included direct aerosol forcing – which per AR5
accounts for only about half total aerosol forcing– in their main CMIP5
historical simulations.
To illustrate my point, I accessed the data used and extracted the
model simulated temperatures for Europe, one of the regions that has a
diagnosed mid-19th century warming onset from the proxy-based
reconstructions, with onset diagnosed later in the 19th century from the
multi-model reconstructions. Figure 2 shows the various time series,
averaged pentadally in order to reduce annual climate noise.
Figure 2: Multimodel simulated surface temperature in Europe (pentads starting in year shown)
.
Results from the four models that appear to have generated simulations
over 1850–2005 by continuing the last millennium simulations are shown
by dashed lines; the thick red line shows their mean. None of these
models included anthropogenic aerosol forcing. Results from the five
models that appear to have generated simulations over 1850–2005 by
branching from the (warmer) preindustrial control simulation are shown
by solid lines; the thick black line shows their mean.[ix]
Although difficult to see in the figure, the mean of the
discontinuous models shows a jump from the 1840-49 average to the
1850–55 average temperature, of 0.23°C. By contrast, the mean for the
continuous models shows an increase of only 0.05°C. I have chosen these
periods as they are the longest ones straddling the start of 1850
transition from the last millennium simulations to the 1850–2005 ones
that are unaffected by contemporaneous or very recent volcanic activity.
Repeating the exercise for temperatures in Asia and North America,
where the warming onsets dates diagnosed from the simulations straddled
the 1840s, showed a mean excess for the discontinuous models, in the
difference between the mean 1840-49 and 1850–55 averages, of 0.17°C,
similar to that for Europe.[x]
The much larger increase for the discontinuous models between the mean
temperatures for these periods very much supports my argument that
their historical simulations started from a warmer state than their
past1000 simulations ended in. Conclusions
It appears that the claim in Abrams et al. that the diagnosed early
onset – about 180 years ago in some regions – of industrial-era warming
is of anthropogenic origin is based on inappropriate evidence that does
not substantiate that claim, which is very likely incorrect. Most of the
evidence given for the anthropogenic origin claim, which is entirely
model-simulation based, ignores the industrial era increase in aerosol
forcing, the dominant negative (cooling) anthropogenic forcing; the
remaining evidence appears to be invalidated by a simulation
discontinuity in 1850. The only evidence provided that includes even the
post 1850 increase in anthropogenic aerosol forcing – half of the
Figure 3a multi-model ensemble simulations – is affected by the
simulations from 1850 on being started with the ocean significantly
warmer than it was in 1849.
Recovery from the heavy volcanism earlier in the century and an
upswing in Atlantic multidecadal variability, superimposed on a slow
trend of recovery in surface temperature from the LIA as the ocean
interior warmed after the end of the particularly cold four hundred year
period from AD 1400–1800, appears adequate to account for warming from
the late 1830s to the final quarter of the 19th century. It is unlikely
that anthropogenic forcing, estimated to be very low until the 1870s,
played any part in warming before then. The heavy volcanism in the first
four decades of the 19th century likely caused the warming onset dates
diagnosed from the proxy data, at least, to be up to several decades
earlier than they would have been in its absence.
Ironically, should the study’s finding of anthropogenic warming
starting as early as circa the 1830s be correct, it would imply that
anthropogenic aerosol forcing is weaker than estimated in IPCC AR5, and
therefore that observational estimates of climate sensitivity (both
transient and equilibrium) based on AR5 forcing values need to be
revised downwards. That is because total anthropogenic forcing would
only have become positive enough to have had any measurable impact on
temperatures in the 1830s if AR5 best estimates significantly overstate
the strength of anthropogenic aerosol forcing.
Nicholas Lewis
August
2016 [i]
Abram NJ et al. (2016) Early onset of industrial-era warming across the
oceans and continents. Nature, doi:10.1038/nature19082. In archive
FAQ_&_supporting_docs.zip available at https://cloudstor.aarnet.edu.au/plus/index.php/s/4pQheVzMddCXwJN [ii] Around the 1830s in the tropical oceans and the Arctic, and around the 1840s in North America, Asia and Europe. [iii]http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/study/20083 [iv]
The past1000 CMIP5/PMIP3 simulations used commence in 800 AD, and are
extended from 1849 to 2005, but Abram et al only use the 1500–1999 AD
portion. [v]
Per AR5 best estimates, total aerosol forcing was over four times as
strong as land use change forcing (which was also negative) throughout
the 1800s. [vi] Very high volcanic forcing of –1.0 W/m2 in the decade to 1810 was followed by extremely high forcing of –2.1 W/m2
in the next decade due to the eruption of Tambora in 1815, which
balanced out with the volcano-free 1820s, and forcing again very high at
–1.1 W/m2 in the fourth decade due to the 1835 Cosiguina eruption. [vii]
Delworth, T. L., and M. Mann (2000), Observed and simulated
multidecadal variability in the Northern Hemisphere, Clim. Dyn., 16,
661–676, doi:10.1007/s003820000075. ( A smoothed version shown in Figure
2(d) of Chylek P et al. (2011) GRL 38, L13704,
doi:10.1029/2011GL047501.) [viii] PMIP3 also excludes other anthropogenic non-greenhouse gas forcings other than land use change. [ix] The tenth model, Fgoals-s2, did not generate the requisite surface air temperature data. [x]
The average across the three regions of differences in mean 1840-49 and
1850–55 temperatures based on taking multi-model medians rather than
means is even larger, at 0.28°C.
Scientists
at two of the world’s leading climate centres – NASA and NOAA – have
been caught out manipulating temperature data to overstate the extent of
the 20th century “global warming”.
The evidence of their tinkering can clearly be seen at Real Science, where blogger Steven Goddard has posted a series of graphs which show “climate change” before and after the adjustments.
When the raw data is used, there is little if any evidence of global
warming and some evidence of global cooling. However, once the data has
been adjusted – ie fabricated by computer models – 20th century ‘global
warming’ suddenly looks much more dramatic.
This is especially noticeable on the US temperature records. Before
2000, it was generally accepted – even by climate activists like NASA’s
James Hansen – that the hottest decade in the US was the 1930s.
In the U.S. there has been little temperature change in the past 50
years, the time of rapidly increasing greenhouse gases — in fact, there
was a slight cooling throughout much of the country.
However, Hansen subsequently changed his
tune when, sometime after 2000, the temperatures were adjusted to accord
with the climate alarmists’ fashionable “global warming” narrative. By
cooling the record-breaking year of 1934, and promoting 1998 as the
hottest year in US history, the scientists who made the adjustments were
able suddenly to show 20th century temperatures shooting up – where
before they looked either flat or declining.
But as Goddard notes, the Environmental
Protection Agency’s heatwave record makes a mockery of these
adjustments. It quite clearly shows that the US heat waves of the 1930s
were of an order of magnitude greater than anything experienced at any
other time during the century – far more severe than those in the 1980s
or 1990s which were no worse than those in the 1950s.
These adjustments, however, are not limited
to the US temperature data sets. Similar fabrications have taken place
everywhere from Iceland to Australia.
The fact that supposedly reputable scientists can make these dishonest
adjustments and get away with it is, notes long-time sceptic Christopher Booker, one of the more remarkable anomalies of the great climate change scam.
When I first began examining the global-warming scare, I found nothing
more puzzling than the way officially approved scientists kept on being
shown to have finagled their data, as in that ludicrous “hockey stick”
graph, pretending to prove that the world had suddenly become much
hotter than at any time in 1,000 years. Any theory needing to rely so
consistently on fudging the evidence, I concluded, must be looked on not
as science at all, but as simply a rather alarming case study in the
aberrations of group psychology.
On Tuesday, Liberty GB, a group calling itself “Britain’s most outspoken political party,”
posted an article by REELTalkRadio show host Audrey Russo that minced
no words in its harsh criticism of Democratic Party nominee Hillary
Clinton. So sharp was his criticism that Russo headlined his piece, “Hillary Clinton: Islam’s Whore.”
Russo starts by calling Clinton “the most corrupt politician to run for the White House.” And, he adds, that’s “before ever being elected.”
He then called out the so-called “mainstream media,” known here as
the “Democrat-media complex,” for giving her cover throughout the
campaign.
He provided a somewhat abridged list of her many scandals, including
her work covering for her husband’s many affairs by “defaming and harassing…” them. Naturally, he mentioned her role in Benghazi, “her involvement and cover-up of Vince Foster’s death,” and her current email scandal, among others.
He added:
This is a candidate who would most likely throw anyone under a bus
(literally) who stands in the way of her becoming the first female
president. (Of course, gender has nothing to do with the qualifications
for the highest office in the Free World – but character does, and on
that basis she’s already disqualified.)
He was far from finished, observing that her foundation has had no
trouble accepting large sums of money from Muslim countries ruled by
Sharia Law:• Algeria donated $250,000 to $500,000
• The Nation of Brunei donated $1,000,000 to $5,000,000
• Kuwait donated $5,000,000 to $10,000,000
• Sultanate of Oman donated $1,000,000 to $5,000,000
• Qatar donated $5.8 million
• Saudi Arabia donated up to $50 million
• United Arab Emirates donated up to $11.5 million
• Morocco-owned OCP, a phosphate exportation company, donated $1,000,000 to $5,000,000
“By taking this filthy Islamic lucre, Hillary has prostituted herself
out to whatever these ‘donors’ desire, including shutting up our First
Amendment rights, as she has been aproponent of the blasphemy law
the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) has been pushing at the
UN. She has betrayed those she claims to defend, and she has presented
these individuals as an offering to Muhammad’s minions,” he wrote.
As we recently noted, Clinton reportedly promised Islamic countries that the federal government would intimidate Americans who speak out or criticize Islam.
Last year, she also claimed that Muslims have “nothing whatsoever” to do with terrorism.
But, Russo said, her “alliances and obligations to corrupt Islamic
countries and terror groups (MB) make her an extremely dangerous
individual to America’s national security and therefore a liability for
our freedom-loving allies.”
“America and the free world have no place for conduits for Muhammed,”
he added. “It’s now imperative to keep Islam’s Whore out of the White
House.”
At least Russo didn’t call Hillary, “Mrs. Clinton,” a term that some on the left have determined to be “sexist” and therefore, a doubleplus ungood thoughtcrime…
BREAKING: Smoking Gun Email Found… PROVES Hillary Left Benghazi Victims to Die
The latest in the email scandal
plaguing the campaign of Democrat presidential nominee Hillary Clinton
has provided proof of what many on the right have known all along — that
then-Secretary of State Clinton left Americans to die in Benghazi.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta gave testimony in 2013 stating that
there was no time to get help to Benghazi, Libya on Sept. 11, 2012,
where four Americans died. An email obtained by Judicial Watch and
recently released appears to be in direct contradiction of this claim.
Fox News reported that an urgent email from Panetta’s Chief of Staff
Jeremy Bash to top Clinton deputies asked for help as the attack
unfolded in Benghazi and stated that forces were ready to move to assist
them:
“I just tried you on the phone but you were all in with S [apparent
reference to then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton]. After consulting
with General Dempsey, General Ham and the Joint Staff, we have
identified the forces that could move to Benghazi. They are spinning up
as we speak.”
The email was sent during the early stages of the eight-hour attack
at 7:19 p.m. Washington time on Sept. 11, 2012, after the first wave of
the attack on the diplomatic outpost but before the mortar strike that
killed former Navy SEALs Ty Woods and Glen Doherty, who were working as
private CIA security contractors.
The non-profit watchdog group Judicial Watch said this in a statement about the information revealed in the email:
“This leaves no doubt military assets were offered and ready to go, and awaiting State Department signoff, which did not come.”
This email proves that there was time and that there were forces
available to assist in the Benghazi attack that resulted in the death of
four Americans: Ty Woods, Glen Doherty, Sean Smith and Ambassador Chris Stevens.
While the information is new to the public, lawmakers investigating
the case already had access to the email, according to Matt Wolking,
spokesman for the House Select Committee on Benghazi.
This new revelation is proof that the Obama administration lied about its ability to send forces to assist in Benghazi.
The email also clearly shows that while Americans were under siege in
Benghazi, Clinton was likely more concerned with spinning the lie that
the attacks occurred because of an internet video.
Anyone who is more concerned with spinning a false narrative than they are with American lives has no business being commander in chief.
H/T GOP The Daily Dose
If you agree that Clinton has no business being commander and chief
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Do you believe that Clinton has the blood of the four Americans killed in Benghazi on her hands?Scroll down to comment below!
BREAKING— HILLARY CLINTON DELETED BENGHAZI EMAILS! The State Department revealed Benghazi related material was found
in searches of the approximately 14,900 deleted Hillary Clinton emails
recovered by the FBI that were sent to State as potentially
work-related. In March 2015 Hillary Clinton said she chose to delete only her personal emails:
“E-mails about planning Chelsea’s wedding or my mother’s
funeral arrangements, condolence notes to friends, as well as yoga
routines, family vacations, the other things you typically find in
inboxes. No one wants their personal e-mails made public, and I think
most people understand that and respect that privacy.”
But that was not true.
The news that Benghazi docs are in the deleted Clinton emails was contained in an August 23 court filing in a Freedom of Information Act case about the 2012 Benghazi terror attack filed by Judicial Watch.
Defendant Department of State (“State”) submits this status report to (1) update the Court
on its search for records potentially responsive to FOIA Request 1 among information
transferred from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) to State, and (2) propose a
production schedule for the non-exempt portions of responsive documents subject to FOIA.
1. FOIA Request 1 seeks “[a]ny and all emails of former Secretary of State Hillary
Rodham Clinton concerning, regarding, or relating to the September 11, 2012 attack on the U.S.
Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.” Complaint ¶ 5 (ECF No. 1). To date, State has produced to
Plaintiff, via its FOIA web site and via email, a total of 343 documents responsive to FOIA
Request 1, with redactions as appropriate…
4. State is currently working to determine whether any of the documents that
satisfied the search terms are agency records responsive to Plaintiff’s FOIA request. It must then
review those documents to determine what, if any, exempt information must be withheld from
the responsive documents. Accordingly, State proposes a rolling production schedule, under
which State would make its first production of any non-exempt responsive records subject to
FOIA on September 30, 2016, and complete production no later than October 31, 2016.”
Judicial Watch issued a press release on several orders in its FOIA cases regarding Clinton’s secret email server.
Court Orders New Clinton Email Production by September 13
State Admits Benghazi Material in New Cache of Emails Clinton Failed to Produce
(Washington DC) – Judicial Watch today announced that a federal court
has ordered the State Department to review newly found Clinton emails
and turn over responsive records by September 13. And, in two other
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits, the State Department is
scheduled to release additional emails from former Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton’s non-state.gov email system beginning September 30. In
a court filing this week, the State Department admitted it had found
Benghazi-related documents among the 14,900 Clinton emails and
attachments uncovered by the FBI that Mrs. Clinton deleted and withheld
from the State Department.
The first batch of new emails comes in response to a court order
issued today in a November 13, 2015, Judicial Watch FOIA lawsuit filed
against the Department of State seeking all communications between
former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Obama White House from
the day of the terrorist attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi and
throughout the following week. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Dr.
Larry Kawa of Boca Raton, Florida, in the U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of Florida, West Palm Beach Division (Larry Kawa v.
U.S. Department of State (No. 9:15-cv-81560)). Today’s order requiring
the production of the emails from the 14,900 new Clinton emails as well
as any other communications or emails from the other materials recently
delivered to the State Department by the FBI was issued by U.S. District
Court Judge William P. Dimitrouleas. The court ruled: The State Department shall search the material, determine whether
any responsive records exist, and complete its first production of
non-exempt records, to the extent any exist, by September 13, 2016.
In a separate case, Judicial Watch has been seeking Clinton’s
communications about the attack on the American diplomatic compound in
Benghazi, Libya, during which U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and
Foreign Service Officer Sean Smith were killed. A second assault
targeted a nearby compound, killing two government contractors Tyrone
Woods and Glen Doherty. (Judicial Watch, Inc. v. U.S. Department of
State (No. 1:15-cv-00692)). After admitting in an August 23 court filing that it found
documents that “satisfied the [Benghazi related] search terms” of the
new Clinton emails, the State Department proposed a rolling production
schedule, “under which State would make its first production of
any non-exempt responsive records subject to FOIA on September 30,
2016, and complete production no later than October 31, 2016.” Judicial
Watch then asked the court that State make known the volume of documents
remaining to be reviewed before it accepts whether the production
schedule is reasonable. Today, U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta
informed the attorneys the Court wants to schedule a hearing on this
issue for Tuesday, August 30.
Judicial Watch is also scheduled to receive documents from the State
Department in a case arising out of FOIA lawsuit before Judge Emmet G.
Sullivan that seeks records about the controversial employment status of
Huma Abedin, former Deputy Chief of Staff to Clinton. The lawsuit was
reopened because of revelations about the clintonemail.com system.
(Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of State (No. 1:13-cv-01363)). Judge
Sullivan has now issued a court order stating: [T]he State Department shall release all remaining documents
responsive to Judicial Watch’s Freedom of Information Act request by no
later than September 30, 2016.
The 14,900 new Clinton emails were uncovered as a result of separate
Judicial Watch litigation seeking all of Mrs. Clinton’s work related
emails. At a status hearing this week, U.S. District Court Judge James
E. Boasberg ordered the State Department to report to the Court the
volume of documents reviewed and be prepared to commit to a production
schedule at a further status hearing on September 23, 2016.
“It is astonishing that Hillary Clinton tried to delete and hide
Benghazi emails and documents. No wonder federal courts in Florida and
DC are ordering the State Department to stop stalling and begin
releasing the 14,900 new Clinton emails,” stated Judicial Watch
President Tom Fitton.”
THE List of 371 Obama Accomplishments so far, With Citations
In 2008, we elected the most progressive president in history. And
regardless of the negativity, when you actually look at the record,
there has been a lot of progress since January 20, 2009.
Here is a list of many of President Obama’s accomplishments as
President. Every one of them has a citation, so no one can dismiss them
out of hand, although many have tried since I started to compile this
list Even with the obstacles we gave him, especially the Republican
Congress, 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. Changed the Culture of the Executive Branch
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
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
On his first full day, he froze White House salaries for the duration of the Great Recession. http://on.msnbc.com/ewJUIx
He appointed the first Federal Chief Information Officer to oversee federal IT spending and efficiency. http://www.cio.gov
He committed to phasing out unnecessary and outdated weapons systems
and signed the Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act, in an attempt to
limit waste, fraud and abuse in the defense procurement and contracting
systems. http://bit.ly/hOw1t1http://bit.ly/fz8GAd
He created the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. http://bit.ly/hwKhKa
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
Dismantled the Minerals Management Service, thereby cutting ties between energy companies and the government. http://nyti.ms/bw1MLu
Banned gifts from lobbyists to anyone in the Executive Branch. http://bit.ly/fsBACN
Banned anyone from working in an agency they had lobbied
in previous years and placed strict limits on lobbyists’ access to the
White House. http://nyti.ms/gOrznV
Held the first-ever first online town hall from the White House, and took questions from the public. http://bit.ly/gVNSgX
Became the first president to stream every White House event, live. http://1.usa.gov/kAgOP5
Established a central portal for Americans to find service opportunities. http://www.serve.gov
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, giving the public
greater access to historic White House documents, and curtails the use
of executive privilege to shield them. http://1.usa.gov/gUetLb
Improved 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
Streamline the Department of Education’s procurement policies and made them more transparent. http://bit.ly/1r9oQvh
Provided the first voluntary disclosure of the White House Visitors Log in history. http://1.usa.gov/hQ7
Signed a law to completely reform NSA Data Collection program and keep phone records in the hands of the phone company. http://bit.ly/1dG34vD Staved Off a Bush Depression, Improved the Economy
Pushed through and signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,
also known as “the stimulus package.” He also launched recovery.gov, a
website that allows taxpayers to track spending from the Act. http://1.usa.gov/ibiFSshttp://1.usa.gov/e3BJMk
By the end of his first year, the economy created and sustained 2.1 million jobs and stimulated the economy by 3.5%. http://reut.rs/i46CEE
He guided the massive TARP financial and banking rescue plan and
forced banks and other entities to pay back virtually all of the bailout
money. http://bit.ly/2alXjlV
He created the Making Home Affordable home refinancing plan. http://1.usa.gov/goy6zl
In 2010, more jobs were created than had been created during Bush’s eight years. http://bit.ly/hrrnjY
He pushed through and implemented an auto industry rescue plan that
saved as many as 1 million jobs and possibly the entire auto industry. http://bit.ly/ibhpxrhttp://bit.ly/gj7mt5
Through his investment in GM, returned to the company to its place as the premiere car company in the world. http://lat.ms/zIJuQx
In February 2016, GM was in such good financial shape, they gave a
share of the profit to each worker, with checks up to $11,000. http://detne.ws/1mk7Jry
Doubled funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, to improve manufacturing efficiency. http://bit.ly/eYD4nf
Increased infrastructure spending after years of neglect. http://bit.ly/f77aOw
Signed the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, which helped
millions of Americans avoid preventable foreclosures and provided $2.2
billion to combat homelessness and stabilize the housing market. http://bit.ly/eEpLFn
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
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/dZgXXwhttp://bit.ly/gORYfL
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
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
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
China’s largest manufacturer, Foxconn, is building a large plant in Pennsylvania http://cnnmon.ie/1k7LT4S
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
Created an institute to invest in more manufacturing jobs in the technology fields of the future. http://nyti.ms/1egyXrV
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
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 Specific Examples of Economic Improvement
As of January 2016, a record 64 consecutive months of overall job growth. http://on.msnbc.com/1TKFCPQ
As of January 2016, Unemployment drops below 5% for the first time in eight years and without a significant bubble. 4.9% http://on.msnbc.com/1TKFCPQ
As of April 2016, there have been 74 consecutive months of private sector job growth. http://1.usa.gov/1Xhizho
In April 2016, new unemployment claims hit their lowest level since Nov. 1973. http://nyti.ms/1YhZEBk
Since February 2010, when job numbers hit their lowest point, 14.6 million non-farm private sector jobs have been created. http://1.usa.gov/1Xhizho
Oversaw a reduction in the federal budget deficit by two-thirds since taking office. http://bit.ly/1xKMmjY
Reduced the federal budget deficit from 9.8% of GDP in Fiscal Year 2009 under Bush, to 2.9% of GDP in FY 2014. http://www.cbo.gov/publication/45653
Scolds Congress and gets passed a $305 billion highways bill, which
will have the added benefit of created hundreds of thousands of new jobs
and creating incentives for green cars. http://bit.ly/1NsL2Zq Addressed Wrongdoing in the Financial Sector
Signed the 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
Ordered 65 executives who took bailout money to cut their own pay until they paid back all bailout money. http://huff.to/eAi9Qq
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/hWCPg0http://bit.ly/geHpcD
Created and implemented rules to reduce the influence of speculators in the oil market. http://bit.ly/MDnA1t
Created and implemented rules so banks can no longer use depositors’
money to invest in high-risk financial instruments that work against
depositors’ interests. http://bit.ly/fnTayj
Supported the concept of allowing stockholders to vote on executive compensation. http://bit.ly/fnTayj
Endorsed and supported the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act of 2009 that would close offshore tax avoidance loopholes. http://bit.ly/esOdfBhttp://bit.ly/eG4DPM
Negotiated a deal with Swiss banks permitting the US government to gain access to bank records of criminals and tax evaders. http://bit.ly/htfDgw
Signed the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act, closing 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
Thanks to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, inflation
in the healthcare sector dropped to its lowest point in 50 years. http://on.wsj.com/1E6cYjF Improved Conditions for Consumers and Small Businesses
Signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure
(CARD) Act, to protect consumers from unfair and deceptive credit card
practices. http://1.usa.gov/gIaNcS
Guided the housing market all the way back from total collapse, which led to a rally for housing starts. http://reut.rs/1NTAOVUhttp://reut.rs/1NTAOVU
Brought airline industry back to their highest profitability since before the recession. http://lat.ms/1O8H1iE
Blocked a monopolistic merger of Staples and Office Depot, to preserve at least some competition. http://bit.ly/1kcY2Kv
Stock market has reached record highs, restoring most of the economic losses felt during the Bush Recession. http://bit.ly/1z4FAtL
Created and Implemented the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau http://1.usa.gov/j5onGhttp://bit.ly/fnTayj
Consumer confidence continues to inch up to its highest level more than a decade. http://bit.ly/1PZLRcK
Initiated a $15 billion plan designed to encourage increased lending to small businesses. http://1.usa.gov/eu0u0b
Created business.gov, to allow online collaboration between small
businesses and experts re managing a business. (The program has since
merged with SBA.gov.) http://www.business.gov
Took steps to improve minority access to capital. http://bit.ly/f9xVE7
Used recovered TARP money to fund programs at local housing finance
agencies in California, Florida, Nevada, Arizona and Michigan. http://on.msnbc.com/i1i8eV
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
Oversaw the most sweeping food safety legislation since the Great Depression. http://thedc.com/gxkCtP
Through the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act, extended the False
Claims Act to combat fraud by companies and individuals using money from
TARP and Stimulus programs. http://bit.ly/SLTcSa
Set up rules for banks in handling legal marijuana money. http://nyti.ms/1b80o2K
Added greater protections to consumer financial transactions to reduce identity theft. http://1.usa.gov/1pjfUFq
Took steps to prevent pirate fishing and protect fish populations,
and ordered stricter labeling requirements on labeling of seafood
products in stores. http://1.usa.gov/1BYhTUn
Signed the RAISE Act, which should encourage more people to open small businesses and help improve the economy. http://bit.ly/1QhTqkF
Signed a bill that allows low-volume vehicle manufacturers that will
increase entrepreneurship among small car manufacturers, who often build
replicas of classics but who often build green vehicles. http://bit.ly/1QhTqkF
Signs an Executive Order to strengthen cooperation with regard to global entrepreneurship. http://1.usa.gov/294u5eI
Signs a law to allow “ordinary investors” to help a company start up through crowdfunding. http://n.pr/299eZEn
Signs a bill to strengthen American economic competitiveness. http://bit.ly/2932zfA Strengthened the Middle Class and Fought Poverty
Worked to provide affordable, high-quality child care to working families. http://bit.ly/fNfidS
Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, cut taxes for 95% of America’s working families. http://bit.ly/eSEI4F
Tax rates for average working families are the lowest since 1950. http://bit.ly/f74pD8
Extended and fully funded the patch for the Alternative Minimum Tax for 10 years. http://bit.ly/eFeSdP
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/evtVxDhttp://nyti.ms/emrqKJ http://bit.ly/hOtIpghttp://bit.ly/fTT7kz
Provided a $20 billion increase for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps). http://nyti.ms/gfLqyM
Signed an Executive Order that established the White House Office of Urban Affairs. http://wapo.st/eWECA8
Included the Buffet Rule in his 2014 budget proposal, in order to
fulfill a campaign promise to make sure tax rates are fair between the
rich and the middle class. http://1.usa.gov/19PkdQo
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
Increased protections for the unemployed who are seeking a government job. http://1.usa.gov/1jgXATu
Updated and modernized overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) http://1.usa.gov/1iGDO8e
Signed and implemented the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, to improve nutrition in schools and make children healthier. http://1.usa.gov/GAXkSk
To make college more affordable and accountable, will begin rating colleges with regard to affordability and value. http://bit.ly/14Dn7UL
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
Under Obama, the bottom 95% of taxpayers pay lower federal
income taxes than at any time in the last 50 years, including under
Reagan, or either Bush. http://bit.ly/1w1W8Ns
Signed a presidential memorandum authorizing six weeks paid leave for
all federal employees with a new baby and encouraged Congress to do the
same for all workers. http://bit.ly/18613XA
2014 marked the first time since 1984 that unemployment dropped in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. 1.usa.gov/1E25u0C
Took steps to improve workplace safety by creating an Advisory Board to study workers’ exposure to toxic substances. http://1.usa.gov/1M4s8IG
Changed overtime rules to make it far more difficult for employers to avoid paying overtime to workers. http://politi.co/1KHfiBe
Changed rules for federal contractors, guaranteeing that all workers
earn paid leave; this should affect about 300,000 workers. http://1.usa.gov/1LcHZWl
Negotiated a law to finally replace “No Child Left Behind” and remove
much of the onerous government “oversight” that caused children to
stagnate, not improve, academically. http://bit.ly/1Up9pMl Addressed Civil Rights and Equality
Formed a commission to examine and make recommendations for fixing the broken voting system. http://wapo.st/16K0D
Created a Civil Rights Division in the Justice Department that has become a very strong voice for Black people. http://bit.ly/1ObO7TI
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
Proposed rules to enhance Fair Housing Laws, to give HUD and other enforcement agencies more enforcement power. http://bit.ly/1qkz4uQ
Ordered a review of capital punishment policies after several botched executions. http://nyti.ms/RDJp58
Approved $1.2 billion discrimination settlement with black farmers who had proved USDA bias. http://huff.to/1Nol9Ab
Appointed Kareem Dale as the first ever Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy. http://1.usa.gov/fi5IY0
Concentrated immigration enforcement on those who commit crimes, and vowed to stop breaking up families. http://1.usa.gov/1uTZ8gV
Streamlined the visa process, to make it more responsive and humane for those who want to be here legally. http://1.usa.gov/1tgDRti
Took steps to tighten the reins when it comes to providing local law
enforcement agencies with military-style equipment and exercising more
control over the equipment they receive. http://1.usa.gov/1ATWV3K
Changed fair housing rules to make more affordable housing available to more people. http://cnn.it/1JcR3qB
Helped Democrats in Congress pass and signed the Civil Rights History Act. http://bit.ly/th0JC8
Created a Policing Task Force to deal with the problems that led to the #BlackLivesMatter movement. http://nbcnews.to/1T17PON
His Justice Department investigated the Ferguson Police Department
twice and slammed them for their racism and exploitive practices. http://nbcnews.to/1q9jTpf
Established the White House Council of Native American Affairs, to
improve government-to-government relations with Native American
nations. http://1.usa.gov/1cIEeEv
Limited local police acquisitions of military-style equipment, to reduce the likelihood of overkill. http://n.pr/1NGkBjT
Signed Blue Alert Law, which provides police officers with more information when they are threatened. http://bit.ly/1NGksga
Blocked the sale of Apache tribal land to foreign mining company, over Republican objections. http://bit.ly/1RYpmfihttp://bit.ly/1RYpmfi
Settled with the City of Cleveland over civil rights and excessive force violations. http://nbcnews.to/24GRQNw
Reviewed the practices of the Philadelphia Police Department and made
91 recommendations to prevent civil rights and excessive force
violations. http://on.msnbc.com/1q9ktmX
Signed a law to modernize the way the federal government refers to
minorities, removing certain archaic terms from the vocabulary. http://bit.ly/291BeIL
Signed a law to better protect children in tribal foster care. http://strib.mn/293Gyky Improved Workers’ Rights
He 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
Obama’s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission clarified and
strengthened rules prohibiting discrimination against pregnant workers. http://alj.am/1mo0kjV
Required companies who bid on federal contracts larger than $500,000
to publicly disclose all previous violations of labor law, including
unpaid claims for back wages. http://1.usa.gov/V54qY3
Made it illegal for federal contractors with more than $1 million in
contracts to force employees into arbitration in workplace
discrimination accusations. http://1.usa.gov/V54qY3
Vetoed Republican bill that would have blocked new NLRB rules that
were designed to speed up the time it takes workers to unionize. http://reut.rs/1agujMO
He also added a Memorandum of Disagreement to make his reasons for the
veto clear and made a major statement in support of unions. http://1.usa.gov/1NG7RuA
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
Signed law that bans imports of goods produced through forced labor. http://nbcnews.to/1RuJu2y Protected the Rights of LGBT People
Signed and implemented 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
Oversaw and implemented the repeal of the reprehensible “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy. http://bit.ly/fdahuHhttp://bit.ly/mZV4Pz
Extended benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. http://1.usa.gov/g2RLCj
Appointed more openly gay officials than anyone in history. http://bit.ly/g1lA7D
Appointed first openly transgender Cabinet Official in History. http://bit.ly/58zUp7
Advocated that United Nations adopt a policy supporting gay rights worldwide. http://lat.ms/pQe1RS
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
Issued an order requiring hospitals to allow visitation by same-sex couples. http://reut.rs/llNJek
Changed HUD rules to prohibit gender and sexual orientation-based discrimination in housing bit.ly/9RxEnP
Changed his mind and publicly expressed support for same-sex marriage. http://bit.ly/JsiFKp
Issued a Presidential Memorandum reaffirming the rights of gay couples to make medical decisions for each other. http://1.usa.gov/aUueGT
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
Department of Agriculture propagated new rules to better
enforce non-discrimination when it comes to USDA investigations and to
extend non-discrimination to gender identity. http://bit.ly/1yChJhi
Banned all federal contractors from discriminating against gay workers. http://1.usa.gov/1ok1gfH
Persevered with his campaign to turn “gay marriage” into “marriage” and won in the Supreme Court. http://cbsloc.al/1M4qLKb Improved Conditions for Women
Establishing the White House Council on Women and Girls
to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider the
effect of their policies and programs on women and families. http://bit.ly/e1puTkhttp://1.usa.gov/rFfqMM
Implemented the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which restored basic
protections against pay discrimination for women and other workers. http://bit.ly/fT3Cxg
Eliminated federal funding for abstinence-only education, and rescinded the global gag rule. http://bit.ly/eCFAI1 http://bit.ly/f92drF
Improved the Paycheck Fairness Act, making it possible for employees
to talk about their salaries without retaliation, and ordering salary
data collection, so as to make it harder for employers to pay women
less. http://huff.to/1nwVOWf
Signed an Executive Order pledging support for efforts to end the global problem of violence against women and girls. http://1.usa.gov/MHTRVU
Shattered another glass ceiling by naming Janet Yellen chair of the Federal Reserve beginning Feb. 1, 2014. http://usat.ly/1gqMBfk
Expanded funding for the Violence Against Women Act. http://1.usa.gov/dSbI0x
Ordered companies with 100 employees or more to disclose pay data based on race and gender, to address the pay gap. http://theatln.tc/1Q04XPL
Signs law restoring Arlington Cemetery burial rights for women pilots in World War II. http://bit.ly/293rmjb Addressed Criminal Justice Failings and the Gun Culture
Made significant reductions in drug sentencing guidelines for current prisoners. http://n.pr/1mWBLkM
Oversaw the first drop in the federal prison population in 32 years. http://bit.ly/1B5h8rW
Increased his use of clemency to release thousands of non-violent drug offenders from prison. http://nyti.ms/1KE8DJG
Ordered a ban on solitary confinement for juvenile offenders in federal prisons. http://bit.ly/20ObRzA
Took executive action to promote smart gun technology, to make them safer. http://1.usa.gov/1RhK1tU
After a failure by Congress to act, proposed executive orders to
create more background checks and to fully staff the background check
system. http://cnn.it/1JXmUg6
Relaxed HIPAA rules enough to allow for more information to be available to the background check system. http://on.wsj.com/SX9xaZ
Ordered the tracing of guns as part of criminal investigations to provide data to researchers. http://on.wsj.com/SX9xaZ
Order the Justice Department to look at the categories of mental
health problems prohibited from owning guns to make sure people aren’t
falling through the cracks, getting guns. http://onforb.es/1nUAGw3
Expanded the definitions of gun dealers and expanded the information
available and required in background checks for firearm purchases. http://bit.ly/1K5aXee
Set up a task force to figure out what other measures can be taken to
limit gun violence in the wake of Congressional inaction. http://1.usa.gov/1QjYMGJ
Signed bill to improve protections for correctional officers and their families. http://bit.ly/1SMCi4W
Changed the playing field on criminal justice reform by commuting
sentences of low-level criminals and signaling a more practical footing.
http://1.usa.gov/1YclW7f
Signaled major shift away from the failed “Drug War” by promising to commit more than $1 billion to combat addiction. http://2wsb.tv/1SMBQUv Improved Treatment of Soldiers and Veterans
Provided active combat troops with better body armor. http://bit.ly/hzSv2h
Created a Joint Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record program for military personnel, in order http://abcn.ws/1ghLrEshttp://abcn.ws/1ghLrEs to improve the quality of their medical care. http://1.usa.gov/f4yaxW
Put an end to the Bush-era stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan beyond their enlistment date. http://nyti.ms/e2YQ7Q
Signed and implemented Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and
Transparency Act, making more money available to enable better medical
care for veterans. http://1.usa.gov/fN4ur1
With Congressional Democrats, oversaw largest spending increase in 30
years for Department of Veterans Affairs, for improved medical and
extended care facilities for veterans. http://1.usa.gov/gY8O3x
Implemented the Green Vet Initiative, which provides special funding to provide veterans with training in green jobs. http://bit.ly/epwUQY
Initiated and signed a recruitment and employment plan to get more veterans into government jobs. http://bit.ly/b48coi
Oversaw a $4.6 billion expansion of the Veterans Administration budget to pay for more mental health professionals. http://bit.ly/gjzTxX
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 can avoid state taxes in their
temporary residence. http://bit.ly/1Gh0NX
Ordered improvements to access to mental health care for veterans, military personnel and their families. http://1.usa.gov/TP7PVZ
Got Syria to dismantle its chemical weapons without military firing a single shot or dropping a single bomb. http://nyti.ms/1lVEkU7
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
Funded Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with an extra $1.4 billion to improve veterans’ services. http://1.usa.gov/huhqfo
Signed into law a bill that provides support, counseling, and
breastfeeding supplies to military moms who are covered under TRICARE,
the health insurance provided to veterans. http://bit.ly/1yNxL8O
Signed into law a bill that makes it easier for military dogs to retire at home with their handlers. http://bit.ly/1J78Y2U Improved America’s Reputation Around the World
Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any previous president during his first six months in office. http://bit.ly/hZycda
As he promised, he gave a speech at a major Islamic forum in Cairo early in his administration. http://nyti.ms/dKvY4g
Made a speech at a US mosque to demonstrate his commitment to
religious rights and send a message to Muslims around the world. http://cnn.it/1PGU1uI
Restored America’s reputation around the world as a global leader. http://bit.ly/h743y7http://bit.ly/ho4TCr
Re-established and reinforced our partnership with NATO and other allies on strategic international issues. http://1.usa.gov/e7QuDj
Closed a number of secret detention facilities. http://nyti.ms/rpUc9l
Improved relations with Middle East countries by appointing special envoys. http://1.usa.gov/tiGAGe
Pushed forward the first realistic Middle East peace strategy in more than a decade, without abandoning the two-state solution. http://wapo.st/1avyste
Pushed for military to emphasize greater development of foreign language skills. http://bit.ly/AxUCLV
Offered $400 million to the people living in Gaza, while calling on
both Israel and the Palestinians to stop inciting violence. http://bit.ly/9axfWh
Refused to give Israel the green light to attack Iran over their possible nuclear program. http://bit.ly/xVmSZK
Ordered the closure of the prison at Guantanamo Bay, although blocked by Congress. http://bit.ly/eW6CVF
Ordered a review of our detention and interrogation policy and prohibited the use of “enhanced interrogation.” http://bit.ly/g6MTuC
Ordered all secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere to be closed. http://bbc.in/h6N9ax
Released the Bush torture memos. http://bit.ly/hWJ5z0
On his second day in office, banned torture, reversed all Bush
torture policies and put the US in full compliance with the Geneva
Convention. http://1.usa.gov/dL6Zvehttp://nyti.ms/hzWWys
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
Ended the F-22 program, saving $4 billion. Though the 187 aircraft
cost $358 million each to build, it had never flown a combat mission. http://slate.me/PYzmzT
Passed the Iran Sanctions Act, to prevent war and encourage the Iranian government to give up their nuclear program. http://1.usa.gov/wLtNjb
Ended the Iraq War. http://tgr.ph/ru0tyS
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
Conducted a secret mission by SEAL Team Six to rescue two hostages held by Somali pirates. http://bit.ly/y8c9Fz
Through United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice, helped negotiate a
peaceful split of Sudan into two countries, creating an independent
South Sudan. http://reut.rs/qzE0Tj
Helped make donations to Haiti tax deductible in 2009. http://huff.to/6YkAVY
Established a new U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue. http://1.usa.gov/eX28DP
Issued Executive Order blocking interference and helping to stabilize Somalia. http://1.usa.gov/hxdf8U
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/hY3Kwahttp://nyti.ms/emQBde
The new policies in Cuba led to thawed relations and the first US Embassy in Cuba in more than 55 years. http://abcn.ws/1ghLrEs
Became the first U.S. President to visit Cuba in more than 80 years. http://bit.ly/1qlKwbi
Negotiated a deal with Iran that will prevent them from getting a
nuclear weapon anytime soon, without firing a shot or invading the
country. http://cnn.it/1M3Hpvv
As a result of the Iran agreement, Iran shipped pretty much all of it nuclear material to Russia. http://nyti.ms/1PrzLty
Became the first US President to visit Jamaica in more than 30 years,
worked to restore relations with the country and signed a natural gas
distribution agreement with the country. http://bit.ly/1JtpFqi
Signs law extending some privacy protections to US allies, a reversal
of the Bush practice of spying on people like Angela Merkel and the
like. http://bit.ly/1VZza6w
Instituted Power Africa, an initiative to bring electrical generation to greater parts of the African continent. http://bbc.in/1QtYVud Changed US Approach to “Defense” and National Security
Created a comprehensive new strategy for dealing with the international nuclear threat. http://1.usa.gov/gDX1nE
Authorized a $1.4 billion reduction in Star Wars program in 2010. http://1.usa.gov/gLFZl2
Restarted nuclear nonproliferation talks and built up the nuclear
inspection infrastructure/protocols to where they had been before
Bush. http://lat.ms/gkcl3i
Signed and got ratification of a new SALT Treaty. http://bit.ly/f3JVtw
Negotiated and signed a new START Treaty that will stay in force until at least 2021. http://1.usa.gov/cI1bC4
Committed the US to no permanent military bases in Iraq. http://bit.ly/hk73OJ
Developed a comprehensive strategy with regard to Afghanistan and
Pakistan designed to facilitate the defeat of al Qaeda, the withdrawal
of most troops and the rebuilding of Afghanistan. http://wapo.st/ee4Xcs
Re-focused on Afghanistan, stabilized the country, and began the process of withdrawing troops from the country. http://bit.ly/lNXUna
Negotiated a deal with Afghan government, to withdraw troops and
military support, while assisting in rebuilding and modernizing of the
country. http://bit.ly/K362an
Took steps to severely weaken al Qaeda and limited their ability to terrorize the world. http://yhoo.it/n5lXs6
Negotiated and signed a nuclear nonproliferation treaty with India. http://1.usa.gov/aHp0Cn
Worked with NATO to limit the slaughter of innocents in Libya, so
that Libyans could topple the despotic Khadaffy government
and determine their own fate. http://aje.me/qAh4Sj
Got Egyptian President/dictator Mubarak to leave the Egyptian government to the people, to determine their own fate. http://f24.my/efvgNZ
In 2011, reoriented American focus from the Middle East to the
Asian-Pacific region by simultaneously engaging China and crafting new
alliances with Asian countries uncomfortable with Chinese behavior. http://bit.ly/RGlMDi
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
Increased border security http://bit.ly/1JQDGz9
Ordered and oversaw the Navy SEALS operation that killed Osama bin Laden. http://bit.ly/jChpgw
Established the Homeland Security Partnership Council, 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
Signed agreement with Afghanistan to end war, turn security over to Afghans. http://nyti.ms/1xSjgBd
Breaking with recent presidential 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. http://cbsn.ws/184RFgu
Instead of holding hearings and creating a political football, he
quietly captured a suspect who actually committed the Benghazi terrorist
attack. http://wapo.st/1jFlmzv He is also getting a lot of useful information from the suspect. http://nyti.ms/UfE2Ka
Instituted rules to order sanctions against individuals and groups that threaten national cybersecurity. http://1.usa.gov/1HWcGMG
Instituted tougher new sanctions against North Korea after threats of nuclear attack and several tests. http://cbsn.ws/1L8L5hW
Took concrete steps to improve our counter-terrorism efforts. http://bit.ly/1RATjAh
Making great strides in defeating the Islamic State without
committing hundreds of thousands of troops or carpet bombing civilians,
against Republican objections. http://bit.ly/1TxBK5e Improved Education and Educational Opportunities
Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, invested heavily in elementary, secondary and post-secondary education. http://1.usa.gov/gGRIAr
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
Oversaw major expansion of broadband availability in K-12 schools nationwide. http://bit.ly/fNDcj3
Oversaw major expansion in school construction. http://bit.ly/fYwNrV
Signed an executive order that expanded recognition and funding for historically black colleges and universities. http://on.thegrio.com/1rD50gc
Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, put $5 billion into early education, including Head Start. http://1.usa.gov/tzT2Rr
Signed the Democratic-sponsored Post-9/11 GI Bill, also known as GI Bill 2.0, to improve veterans’ access to education. http://bit.ly/hPhG7J
Oversaw expansion of the Pell Grants program, to expand opportunity for low and middle income students to go to college. http://bit.ly/hI6tXz
Signed and implemented the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which provided an extra $12.2 billion in funds. http://1.usa.gov/dQvtUe
Took major new steps to protect 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
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
Reformed student loan program, to make it possible for students to refinance at a lower rate. http://nyti.ms/dMvHOt
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
Led a bipartisan effort to reform the federal approach to education and essentially repeal “No Child Left Behind.” http://cbsn.ws/2780qXu Restored the Adult View on Science and Technology
Created a Presidential Memorandum to restore scientific integrity in government decision-making. http://1.usa.gov/g2SDuw
Opened up the process for fast-tracking patent approval for green energy projects. http://bit.ly/j0KV2U
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
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
Conducted a cyberspace policy review. http://1.usa.gov/gmbdvC
Provided financial support for private sector space programs. http://bit.ly/fn8ucr
Oversaw enhanced earth mapping, to provide valuable data for agricultural, educational, scientific, and government use. http://bit.ly/dNTRyP
Through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, provided $500 million for Health Professions Training Programs. http://bit.ly/ecQSgA
Increased funding for community-based prevention programs. http://bit.ly/frMPG3
Expanded space exploration and discovery options to include more players. http://1.usa.gov/13qmZpm
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/vhRUEshttp://bit.ly/129V3SY
In the wake of the West Fertilizer tragedy, formed the Chemical
Safety and Security Working Group, to work on measures to prevent
another such events. http://1.usa.gov/18kHSlA
Established a Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center, a
recommendation made by the 9/11 Commission, to coordinate efforts to
fight cyber-crime and terrorism. http://1.usa.gov/1A0aEoS
The Obama FCC, with his leadership, adopted strong net neutrality rules, to keep the Internet open and equal for everyone. http://fcc.us/1MhTlIA
Ordered rules to speed up deployment of a more comprehensive broadband infrastructure. http://1.usa.gov/M7rVpe
Set up a National Strategic Computing Initiative, to “maximize
benefits of high-performance computing (HPC) research, development, and
deployment.” http://1.usa.gov/1IN3FZa
Ordered a federal level change in national earthquake standards. http://1.usa.gov/1T5wGoR
Signed executive orders designed to strengthen government cybersecurity and prevent hackers from getting in. http://usat.ly/1R0saIt
Took steps to combat the effects of climate change by committing the
U.S. to developing long-term drought resilience measures. http://1.usa.gov/1SMCuRY
Started the road to greater exploration of space by signing bill to
encourage mining on asteroids and clarifying property rights in space. http://bit.ly/1RV2la9 Improved Our Health
Eliminated Bush-era restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, and
provided increased federal support for biomedical and stem cell
research. http://bit.ly/h36SSOhttp://ti.me/edezge
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
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
Along with Democrats in Congress, ushered through and signed a bill
authorizing FDA to regulate tobacco and order tobacco companies to
disclose their ingredients and to ban cigarettes falsely labeled as
“light.” http://on.msnbc.com/fiKViB
Has overseen a 50% decrease in cost of prescription drugs for seniors. http://bit.ly/e5b1iqhttp://1.usa.gov/fVNkt9
Eliminated the Bush-era practice of forbidding Medicare from negotiating with drug companies on price. http://bit.ly/fOkG5b
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
Urged Congress to investigate Anthem Blue Cross for raising premiums 39% without explanation. http://yhoo.it/e8Tj9C
Pushed through and signed Affordable Care Act, which expanded health
insurance coverage greatly and ended many detrimental insurance company
practices. He also established healthcare.gov. http://www.healthcare.gov/
Through ACA, allowed children to be covered under their parents’ policy until they turned 26. http://nyti.ms/fNB26V
Through the ACA, provided tax breaks to allow 3.5 million small businesses to provide health insurance to their employees. http://nyti.ms/fNB26V
Through the ACA, millions of people receive help in paying their health insurance company premiums. http://nyti.ms/fNB26V
Through the ACA, expanded Medicaid to those making up to 133% of the federal poverty level. http://nyti.ms/ekMWpo (Note: except for those states whose Republicans refused to take the extra money.)
By 2014, the Affordable Care Act dropped the number of uninsured
Americans by 22.3%, which amounts to more than 10.3 million people with
insurance who didn’t have it before. Only 13.9% of Americans are
uninsured, a drop from 18.9% in 2013. http://on.msnbc.com/1r4kjGn
The Affordable Care Act has increased the life expectancy of Medicare greatly. http://on.wsj.com/1yuNco6
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
Medicare costs actually declined slightly, for the first time in decades in 2011, according to the Congressional Budget Office. http://1.usa.gov/oMxpTh
Since passage of the ACA, health care inflation is at its lowest level since 1960. http://1.usa.gov/1vXR0Ld
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
Signed bill that will provide health insurance premium support to
workers who lose their health insurance due to foreign competition. http://bit.ly/1evvVDF
In response to the confusion triggered by the asinine Hobby Lobby
decision, which essentially declared that corporations could have
“religious rights” and lord them over employees, created new rules to
give all women with insurance the right to free birth control. http://on.wsj.com/1O44a1t
Implemented the National HIV/AIDS Strategy for 2015-2020, which is a
follow-up to the first such strategy in US history, which he implemented
in 2010. http://1.usa.gov/1IXknHm
Signed and will implement new child safety standards for e-cigarettes. http://bit.ly/1XaFCIS
Set up a White House Cancer Moonshot Task Force, in order to implement ways to develop a cure for cancer. http://1.usa.gov/20AeKY4
Took steps to improve detection and treatment of mental health problems. http://1.usa.gov/25HEDp5
Signed Trevor’s Law, which will allow for better tracking and study of cancer and disease clusters. http://bit.ly/297uFJK
Signed a memorandum of understanding with Cuba to share healthcare information. http://bit.ly/29mCojf Addressed the Environment While Dealing with Energy Needs
Doubled federal spending on clean energy research. http://bit.ly/iN0sCE
Pushed through a tax credit to help people buy plug-in hybrid cars. http://bit.ly/j8UP5Y
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
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/fE2PxKhttp://nyti.ms/hfeqvv
Fully supported the initial phase of the creation of a legally-binding treaty to reduce mercury emissions worldwide. http://bit.ly/eJ6QOO
Required states to provide incentives to utilities to reduce their energy consumption. http://bit.ly/lBhk7P
Under Obama, our dependence on foreign oil has dropped to its lowest rate since 1985, and continues to drop. http://1.usa.gov/1p6kTUy
Meanwhile, oil consumption is way down because of reduced driving and higher mileage standards. http://ti.me/1z4HFG8
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
Reengaged in a number of treaties and agreements designed to protect the Antarctic. http://bit.ly/fzQUFO
Created tax write-offs for purchases of hybrid and electric vehicles. http://bit.ly/glCukV
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
Mandated that federal government fleet purchases be for
fuel-efficient American vehicles, and encouraged that
federal agencies support experimental, fuel-efficient vehicles. http://1.usa.gov/hmUSbkhttp://1.usa.gov/fLWq5chttp://bit.ly/h5KZqy
Encouraged BP to pay $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. )
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
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
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
Initiated Criminal and Civil inquiries into the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. http://nyti.ms/bVuB7a
Asserted federal legal supremacy to bar Texas from authorizing new refinery permits on its own.http://bit.ly/ww8eMd
Set up new, stricter standards limiting power plant emissions. http://1.usa.gov/1mML2M3
Strengthened the Endangered Species Act. http://bit.ly/hscjsH
Strengthened protection for wildlife, and expanded enforcement of laws against wildlife trafficking. http://1.usa.gov/1fce1Ai
Obama EPA improved boiler safety standards to improve air quality, and save 6500 lives per year. http://bit.ly/jYH7nt
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
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
Increased funding for National Parks and Forests by 10% http://bit.ly/fbJPjY
Announced greatly improved commercial fuel efficiency standards. http://1.usa.gov/oQiC1K
Signed a bill that allowed for increased regulations of a large
number of chemicals and other toxic materials, allowing the EPA to make
the use of certain toxic materials more transparent. http://usat.ly/2911hA4
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
Facilitated investment in industrial energy efficiency to create jobs
and strengthen US manufacturing while saving businesses $100 billion
over a decade. http://1.usa.gov/WsIgbx
Set up the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council to oversee Gulf
Coast restoration efforts after the 2010 BP oil spill. The money to fund
the restoration efforts comes from fines against BP. http://1.usa.gov/Rxjb29
Engaged in the most comprehensive plan to combat climate change in a generation. http://bit.ly/13lXhET
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
Oversaw the creation of an initiative that converts old factories and manufacturing centers into new clean technology centers. http://bit.ly/mjnq2R
Guided a 418% increase in solar power capacity between 2010 and 2014. http://bit.ly/1rHkWJC
As of May 2015, 74% of new electrical capacity was provided by solar and wind power. http://bit.ly/1T5r0LC
Bypassed Congress and ordered EPA to begin regulating and measuring carbon emissions. http://bit.ly/froaP5
Oversaw a tripling in the use of wind power to generate electricity.
The US now leads the world in increased wind power capacity. http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5448
Ordered the federal government to incorporate climate resilience and
climate science into all international development in which the United
States engages. http://1.usa.gov/YV1EpW
Fast-tracked regulations to allow states to enact fuel efficiency standards that exceeded federal standards. http://nyti.ms/e8e94x
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 more than a decade. http://politi.co/hiaPKM
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
Obama EPA reversed a Bush-era decision to allow the largest mountaintop removal project in US history. http://bit.ly/lP3yEL
Ordered the Department of Energy to implement more aggressive efficiency standards for common household appliances. http://1.usa.gov/g3MTbu
Obama EPA ruled that excess CO2 is a pollutant. http://bit.ly/iQTSNN
Closed a deal with China to limit carbon emissions to slow down climate change. http://nyti.ms/1xzyS8K
Blocked all oil and gas drilling in Bristol Bay, Alaska, one of the most pristine environments in North America http://lat.ms/13xUVFD
Signed an Executive Order to improve environmental efforts in the
Arctic region and to combat climate change by better coordinating the
efforts of the 23 federal agencies operating in the area. http://usat.ly/ZEzLzE
Vetoed a bill to fast track construction of the parallel Keystone XL pipeline. http://nbcnews.to/1DVDFo7
Expanded clean water regulations to more stringently protect all of
the nation’s waterways, even when states fail in their duty. http://bit.ly/1RdQpTc
Signed an Executive Order committing the federal government to lead
the way in building a sustainable economy. It’s his fifth doing just
that. http://1.usa.gov/1EzO2ne
Banned the use of antibiotics in food served in US Government-run
cafeterias and ordered agencies to only use antibiotic-free meat. http://bit.ly/1G1vUxihttp://bit.ly/1KHkl4N
Developed new rules to address climate change and to create a significant boost to clean energy. http://bit.ly/1UnQcuR
Negotiated and signed a virtually Republican-Proof global agreement on climate change, with 190 countries signing on. http://bit.ly/1RkjVG8
Became one of 196 countries that signed onto a UN Framework on Climate Change. http://unfccc.int/2860.php
Ordered a moratorium on new coal leasing on federal land, and they will examine the whole leasing process. http://wapo.st/23Q6en8
Signed a bill to better protect pipelines and to authorize greater oversight. http://bit.ly/291woja
Signed into law a measure directing the Department of Transportation
to issue guidelines for minimum standards for underground storage of
natural gas. http://bit.ly/291AdjL There’s a Lot More!
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/eOChg6http://bit.ly/i02wgP
Appointed the most diverse Cabinet in history, including more women than any other incoming president. http://bit.ly/dX6vNB
Loosened the rules and allowed the 14 states that legalized medical
marijuana to regulate themselves without federal interference. http://huff.to/eQfa7j
Signed national service legislation, increasing funding for national
service groups, including triple the size of the Americorps program. http://bit.ly/idgQH5
Signed a bill that provided $4.3 billion in additional assistance to 9/11 first responders. http://bit.ly/o7cWYS
Placed major restrictions on the ivory trade in a bid to prevent the wholesale slaughter of elephants in Africa. http://ti.me/292Z4Gg
Signed a bill that will seriously curb the use of animal testing and establish alternative testing methods. http://bit.ly/28Z5AuS
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
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
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
Expanded trade agreements to include stricter labor and environmental agreements in trade pacts like NAFTA. http://bit.ly/etznpY
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 budget negotiations. http://on.fb.me/fD0EVO http://bit.ly/ff5Luv
Oversaw and passed increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts.http://bit.ly/dFb8qF
Expanded the authority of Customs to improve enforcement of trade and
customs laws and to better coordinate said enforcement among various
agencies. http://bit.ly/1S5pun7 And Did You Know?
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…
Despite the odds, became the first black president and then, was reelected by a wide margin.
The State Department revealed Benghazi related material was found
in searches of the approximately 14,900 deleted Hillary Clinton emails
recovered by the FBI that were sent to State as potentially
work-related.