Obama '08?

What Pres. Obama Accomplished in His First Six Months in Office

"Robert P. Watson, Ph.D. Coordinator of American Studies
Lynn University" Email: [email protected]

I am always being asked to grade Obama's presidency. In place of offering him a grade, I put together a list of his accomplishments thus far. I think you would agree that it is very impressive. His first six months have been even more active than FDRs or LBJs the two standards for such assessments. Yet, there is little media attention given to much of what he has done. Of late, the media is focusing almost exclusively on Obama's critics, without holding them responsible for the uncivil, unconstructive tone of their disagreements or without holding the previous administration responsible for getting us in such a deep hole. The misinformation and venom that now passes for political reporting and civic debate is beyond description.

As such, there is a need to set the record straight. What most impresses me is the fact that Obama has accomplished so much not from a heavy-handed or top-down approach but from a style that has institutionalized efforts to reach across the aisle, encourage vigorous debate, and utilize town halls and panels of experts in the policy-making process. Beyond the accomplishments, the process is good for democracy and our democratic processes have been battered and bruised in recent years.

Let me know if I missed anything in the list (surely I did).




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1. Ordered all federal agencies to undertake a study and make recommendations for ways to cut spending
2. Ordered a review of all federal operations to identify and cut wasteful spending and practices
3. Instituted enforcement for equal pay for women
4. Beginning the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq
5. Families of fallen soldiers have expenses covered to be on hand when the body arrives at Dover AFB
6. Ended media blackout on war casualties; reporting full information
7. Ended media blackout on covering the return of fallen soldiers to Dover AFB; the media is now permitted to do so pending adherence to respectful rules and approval of fallen soldier's family
8. The White House and federal government are respecting the Freedom of Information Act
9. Instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible
10. Limits on lobbyist's access to the White House
11. Limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration
12. Ended the previous stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date
13. Phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane and other outdated weapons systems, which weren't even used or needed in Iraq/Afghanistan
14. Removed restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research
15. Federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research
16. New federal funding for science and research labs
17. States are permitted to enact federal fuel efficiency standards above federal standards
18. Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants) after years of neglect
19. Funds for high-speed, broadband Internet access to K-12 schools
20. New funds for school construction
21. The prison at Guantanamo Bay is being phased out
22. US Auto industry rescue plan
23. Housing rescue plan
24. $789 billion economic stimulus plan
25. The public can meet with federal housing insurers to refinance (the new plan can be completed in one day) a mortgage if they are having trouble paying
26. US financial and banking rescue plan
27. The secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere are being closed
28. Ended the previous policy; the US now has a no torture policy and is in compliance with the Geneva Convention standards
29. Better body armor is now being provided to our troops
30. The missile defense program is being cut by $1.4 billion in 2010
31. Restarted the nuclear nonproliferation talks and building back up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols
32. Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic
33. Reengaged in the agreements/talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions
34. Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any president in his first six months in office
35. Successful release of US captain held by Somali pirates; authorized the SEALS to do their job
36. US Navy increasing patrols off Somali coast
37. Attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles
38. Cash for clunkers program offers vouchers to trade in fuel inefficient, polluting old cars for new cars; stimulated auto sales
39. Announced plans to purchase fuel efficient American-made fleet for the federal government
40. Expanded the SCHIP program to cover health care for 4 million more children
41. Signed national service legislation; expanded national youth service program
42. Instituted a new policy on Cuba, allowing Cuban families to return home to visit loved ones
43. Ended the previous policy of not regulating and labeling carbon dioxide emissions
44. Expanding vaccination programs
45. Immediate and efficient response to the floods in North Dakota and other natural disasters
46. Closed offshore tax safe havens
47. Negotiated deal with Swiss banks to permit US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals
48. Ended the previous policy of offering tax benefits to corporations who outsource American jobs; the new policy is to promote in-sourcing to bring jobs back
49.. Ended the previous practice of protecting credit card companies; in place of it are new consumer protections from credit card industry's predatory practices
50. Energy producing plants must begin preparing to produce 15% of their energy from renewable sources
51. Lower drug costs for seniors
52. Ended the previous practice of forbidding Medicare from negotiating with drug manufacturers for cheaper drugs; the federal government is now realizing hundreds of millions in savings
53. Increasing pay and benefits for military personnel
54. Improved housing for military personnel
55. Initiating a new policy to promote federal hiring of military spouses
56. Improved conditions at Walter Reed Military Hospital and other military hospitals
57. Increasing student loans
58. Increasing opportunities in AmeriCorps program
59. Sent envoys to Middle East and other parts of the world that had been neglected for years; reengaging in multilateral and bilateral talks and diplomacy
60. Established a new cyber security office
61. Beginning the process of reforming and restructuring the military 20 years after the Cold War to a more modern fighting force; this includes new procurement policies, increasing size of military, new technology and cyber units and operations, etc.
62. Ended previous policy of awarding no-bid defense contracts
63. Ordered a review of hurricane and natural disaster preparedness
64. Established a National Performance Officer charged with saving the federal government money and making federal operations more efficient
65. Students struggling to make college loan payments can have their loans refinanced
66. Improving benefits for veterans
67. Many more press conferences and town halls and much more media access than previous administration
68. Instituted a new focus on mortgage fraud
69. The FDA is now regulating tobacco
70. Ended previous policy of cutting the FDA and circumventing FDA rules
71. Ended previous practice of having White House aides rewrite scientific and environmental rules, regulations, and reports
72. Authorized discussions with North Korea and private mission by Pres. Bill Clinton to secure the release of two Americans held in prisons
73. Authorized discussions with Myanmar and mission by Sen. Jim Web to secure the release of an American held captive
74. Making more loans available to small businesses
75. Established independent commission to make recommendations on slowing the costs of Medicare
76. Appointment of first Latina to the Supreme Court
77. Authorized construction/opening of additional health centers to care for veterans
78. Limited salaries of senior White House aides; cut to $100,000
79. Renewed loan guarantees for Israel
80. Changed the failing/status quo military command in Afghanistan
81. Deployed additional troops to Afghanistan
82. New Afghan War policy that limits aerial bombing and prioritizes aid, development of infrastructure, diplomacy, and good government practices by Afghans
83. Announced the long-term development of a national energy grid with renewable sources and cleaner, efficient energy production
84. Returned money authorized for refurbishment of White House offices and private living quarters
85. Paid for redecoration of White House living quarters out of his own pocket
86. Held first Seder in White House
87. Attempting to reform the nation's healthcare system which is the most expensive in the world yet leaves almost 50 million without health insurance and millions more under insured
88. Has put the ball in play for comprehensive immigration reform
89. Has announced his intention to push for energy reform
90. Has announced his intention to push for education reform

Oh, and he built a swing set for the girls outside the Oval Office

Hahahahahahahaha

Roger? Advocate must not be reading the papers. There have been article after article which show that Obama has not reached out to the Republicans:

Roger? Advocate must not be reading the papers. There have been article after article which show that Obama has not reached out to the Republicans--Note the secret deliberations of the Democrats. Obama must think he is back on the south side of Chicago where he can jive talk the inhabitants. It is clear that the general public and Republicans were shut out again and again. Wait until corporations cut jobs because Obamacare is too costly( Caterpillar, Verizon and ATT have already complained); wait until the erroneous crafting of Obamacare( which few had an input into and even fewer have read in its entirety) comes to roost. Just yesterday the New York Times had a story which showed that insurance companies indicated that Obamacare DOES NOT mandate their insurance coverage of poor children. Someone in the White House who crafted the plan does not know what they are doing. You can bet the insurance companies not only know how to read but are also ready to litigate. They will be right behind the Attorney Generals of at least thirteen states who claim that Obamacare cannot compel individuals or businesses to purchase health insurance. It is unclear as to whether their suit will be successful but you can bet that it will keep Obamacare in the headlines for months!

Make your lie big enough, tell it often enough, and people will believe.

Why, that is such an impressive list, Advocate. But not impressive enough. If you don't know(and it looks like you don't), the issues that the Democrats will run on in 217 days are not in that list. They are l. Unemployment, 3. the Housing Market and 3. The inefficiencies and drawbacks of Obamacare.

I predict that Unemployment will still be over 8% in November; The Housing market will not have improved sufficiently because of an astounding number of foreclosures due to the fact that Barney Frank and other goo-goos pressed lenders to give mortgages to the rabble who had no down[payments or means to pay their monthly mortgages; Obamacare is already suffering from bad press. The NY Times revealed that insurance companies reading Obamacare state that they do not have to give cheap insurance coverage to poor children until 2014. Obamacare is also being blamed for the fact that corporations, whose bottom lines are severely impacted, not only will not hire new workers because of the horrendous new costs but may, in this horrible economy, have to lay off people because of the costs of Obamacare.

Okie-Cyclops asked you-

What changed for you this week, Okie? What was robbed from you? Nothing at all. You're just unable to discuss the modern situation without resorting to exaggerations and hysterics.

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Cyclops is a graduate student at a far left wing school-Berkeley. But my son-in-law and dozens of son-in-laws and fathers and sons and daughters and wives and neighbors and friends will be laid off by Caterpillar and Verizon and ATT as well as many other corporations, because of the idiotic way that Obamacare has been structured. The left wing in Obamaland is probably gleeful that the greedy "corporations" are getting hurt but they do not know that corporations do not get hurt. People who work for the corporations get hurt. People who hold 401K's who have stock holdings in those corporations get hurt. And the Unemployment Rate is still at 9.7%.

And, of course, Okie, Cyclops does not know that the TRUE Unemployment rate as measured by the BLS in U-6 is not 9.75 but 16%. Cyclops probably thinks that's funny! He would!

Joe from Chicago flunked History in school...Casablanca a war zone? There was no fighting anywhere near Casablanca or Morroco when FDR went to those very safe places. Do some reading, Joe From Chicago. You don't need to reread the Saul Alinsky books again!

That is the M.O. radical left wig liberals are employing right now.

I may be wrong, but didnt Obama say he was going to end the war in Iraq and Afghanistan???

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/27/us-troop-deaths-double-in_n_516016.html



So not only has he not ended the war, he is responsible for the deaths and the wounding of MORE troops in Afghanistan.
That doesnt sound like ending the war to me.

Are we able now to say: Obama Lied and Troops died?

Somebody has to start on stopping really, really efficient people from making junk otherwise it will be up above our heads before long.

And anyway--are Sundays unemployment. And holidays. And sneaking out for a cigarette. And posting on the internet during working hours.

Define unemployment MASSA. I can talk about female sexual arousal if I don't define it.

You don't get elected if you don't lie and what does it matter what you do if you don't get elected?

That's the worst you can come up with?



'cept most of those aged 18-26 will simply be covered under their parent's plans now. So this is pretty inaccurate.



Aww, the poor babies! Cry me a ******* river. At the end of the day, these people are still rich and this bill doesn't change that one bit.



Yup.



Seeing as the taxpayers were subsidizing the profits of insurance companies to the tune of about 15%, you should be HAPPY about this, Ican.

Cycloptichorn

Sure, if most uninsured in that age group has parents that keep them on their insurance. I'm suspecting that coverage that includes overage children is going to cost more than if they left the nests in a timely manner. For those not so fortunate, it is projected their coverage will cost about 17% more to make up for loses due to older people paying substantially less than their actual costs. That's 17% above the normal progression of medical and insurance costs.

Not implying that it is wrong for the young to subsidize the old, you understand. At least if they can absolutely count on getting the same advantage when their turn comes, I mean.

I have not met any "left wig liberals." Where can I find them?

I left my wig in San Francisco.

Joe(hotbed of liberality)Nation