Accomplishments of President Obama
 

Professor Robert P. Watson of Lynn University put together a list of President Obama’s 90 accomplishments that the media fails to report. In his own words…

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, nonconstructive tone of their disagreements or without holding the previous administration responsible for getting us in such a deep hole.

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13.Phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane and other outdated weapons systems, which weren't even used or needed in Iraq/Afghanistan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!

YES HE HAS!

He also takes a LOT of vacations. And has used the White House crapper. He has also eaten three meals a day, plus snacks. Don't forget sneaked the occasional cigarette in the bathroom.

Yep, he did a lot.

Keep that list handy when re-election time rolls around again.

How many vacations has he taken exactly?
What do you call a "vacation"?
How would that compare to previous presidents' amount of vacations?

Why do you have such a big problem with these vacations? He's still working when on them.

He'll never approach the amount of vacation time of George W. Bush who always seemed to need to "clear brush" from around his house all the damned time. He hasn't had a cigarette since before his campaign started, but it really wouldn't matter if he had. We've had plenty of presidents who smoked.

These are his POSITIVE accomplishments in less than a year. There will be plenty more by the time he is re-elected, though it won't take much for him to win. The Republicans don't have anyone who could even remotely pose a challenge to him.

My hope is that the Republicans will pick some idiot like they did last time so President Obama can continue repairing the horrific damage done to our country by the last administration. He's already seeing progress from the drastic actions he had to take to prevent the BUSH RECESSION from becoming the BUSH DEPRESSION. He saved the American auto industry and banking industries and the millions of small businesses that rely on those.

If the Republicans choose anyone from the following list, President Obama won't have to spend a single dollar or a single minute campaigning to win re-election. He can just keep doing the great work he's been doing so far to improve America, fix the broken economy he inherited, repair our reputation abroad, restore our position as having the moral high ground by letting the world know we will not support torture or rendition, giving those accused of a crime a fair trial, etc.

Here's a short list of people President Obama could beat in re-election without spending a single dollar or a single minute of time campaigning.

Sarah Palin
Mitt Romney
Mike Huckabee
Bobby Jindal
Ron Paul
Glenn Beck
Rush Limbaugh
Newt Gingrich
John McCain
Jeb Bush
Charlie Crist
Lindsey Graham
David Petraeus
Rudy Giuliani


If any of these people get the Republican ticket in 2012, they will be crushed effortlessly in a landslide victory for President Obama.

Bush's presidency was one long vacation. If anything came up his handlers took care of it. :p

I didn't like Bush, but I think he had as much of a hand in fucking up this country as his "handlers" did.

You've got something on your chin Radar.

It's called a beard. Either that or another chin.

There are significant legislative achievements on that list (pay equity for women, expanded health care for children, credit card "bill of rights", tobacco control act...) as well as significant Executive Orders/Memoranda that restore some level of openness and transparency (not enough, IMO).....but some of those accomplishments are a stretch.

Left off the list? THe most sweeping land conservation initiative since Teddy Roosevelt...adding millions of acres of wilderness to protected public land status and significantly increasing protection of the national scenic river system.

The greatest disappointment is continuing many of the Bush national security initiatives or not cutting others back enough....but that comes as no surprise.

There are also whispers that are beginning to circulate that Obama will replace Biden on the ticket with Hillary Clinton in 2012.

What was the largest complaint to the FCC supposedly every year for the past nine years? Sound volume. Stations would jack up the volume during commercials. Now that government is working for the people - not for the elite - a new regulation will take affect sometime this year. Commercial volume must be same as the show's sound volume.

That's great news. I HATE it when my daughter is sleeping and I'm watching a show, and it goes to commercial and the volume doubles.

My only real complaint with President Obama so far is that he not only refused to end the unconstitutional spying on Americans (Treason) started by his predecessor, he's actually expanded it. For that, every American should be entitled to kick him squarely in the balls at least once until he stops. My guess is that program would end very quickly if that were the case.

Politicians should genuinely fear for their lives if they step outside their limited authority or they work against the interests of the American people and put the wants of special interests or corporations above the needs of the people.

I didn't say I had a problem with vacations. These are not negative lists, merely a list of things that he has done that EVERY President has done.

I want to have that list handy when the long-term effects come home to roost.

Silly Brian, come home to roost? Not going to happen. Any and all negative effects will be pushed off on to Bush or handed to Obama's successor. This man walks on water, don'tcha know?

Not if *I* can help it.

Don't confuse treading water with treading on water. He inherited the 2nd largest economic downward spiral in American history and he's done a great job taking the drastic action needed to fix such a drastic problem. He saved the American auto industry, the banking industry, and the millions of small businesses that rely on those industries to run.

He isn't a god, but when compared to complete failures like Bush or Reagan, he seems like it.

fixed that for ya! :rolleyes:

fixed it back to the truth for ya! :rolleyes:

lol -

You didn't answer all the questions

You obviously have a problem with the number of vacations President Obama has taken or else you wouldn't have quantified the number of vacations with "a LOT," which is an opinion, not a fact. Also putting "LOT" in caps, you've emphasized that you think he's taken more than a normal number of vacations. Yet you have yet to back this opinion up with any factual data. So why will you only answer one question, why can't you answer the other 3? Perhaps because the evidence doesn't support your opinion?

I hope you do have that list around when the long term effect come to roost, so you can see just how wrong your doomsday predictions were.

I don't think a president is really ever on vacation in a true sense. He still has daily breifings. I am sure more than once per day. He still is making decisions. The business of a nation never pauses.

Even George Will, on This Week (sans George Stephanopoulus this time) said that it was unnecessary for the pres to run back to DC whenever anything happened, such as the recent terrorist incident. He still conducts business, he wasn't out of touch...to run back would have been "what the terrorists want" with the doomsday OMG look what they did knee-jerk response. Those kinds of reactions are counter-productive. If he had run back, then went back to join his family, I'm sure we would have heard all about the wasted plane gas and such.

The same things concerning vacations were said about G-dub. It's old news and people who have any clue how things work don't typically bring it up as a way to cast aspersions on the president.

:thumb:

And Obama never left home w/o his Blackberry.

Bush? "Add them to my fruit salad but why do they call them blackberries when they arent black."

Sadly, the Secret Service thought that Obama using a Blackberry posed security risks and has taken it away.

But not before we caught a glimpse of a few e-mails and text messages:

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/image...ized_small.jpg http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/image...ized_small.jpg http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/image...ized_small.jpg

HAHAHAHA Those are great - Where is the one from Pelosi???

Funny Redux! I want to see some more!

Cost you $10 for more, $5 used

Obama's Blackberry

lol!

Oh it's true!

oh it's so ..wrong yet right.

A great gag gift for someone's birthday.

*skeeming* humm someone's birthday is coming up

I think it would make him laugh.

Thanks red

The ones from Bush and Clinton are great!

Thanks classic. :)

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama told banks Thursday they should pay a new tax to recoup the cost of bailing out foundering firms at the height of the financial crisis. "We want our money back," he said.

The tax, which would require congressional approval, would last at least 10 years and generate about $90 billion over the decade, according to administration estimates. "If these companies are in good enough shape to afford massive bonuses, they are surely in good enough shape to afford paying back every penny to taxpayers," Obama said.
Advisers believe the administration can make an argument that banks should tap their bonus pools for the fee instead of passing the cost on to consumers.
The proposed 0.15 percent tax on the liabilities of large financial institutions would apply only to those companies with assets of more than $50 billion — a group estimated at about 50. Administration officials estimate that 60 percent of the revenue would come from the 10 biggest ones.

WOW

pssst. who do you think will actually pay that?

It will come in the form of an admin fee passed down to the users, and in keeping with the Dems process of making it seem like they can't pass it on, it will be implemented over a number of years. :)

That's ok. Only rich people use banks anyway.

If one bank has a fee and another bank doesn't, how long before consumers figure this out and go to the bank without the fee? No, the banks will hide it somewhere, like in slightly lower interest payments, and hope nobody notices.

Do banks all charge the same fees now? People bank where they do for a variety of reasons, not just fees.

It doesn't matter where the banks put the fees, the point is that this new tax on the bad guy is really just another tax on you and your neighbors. way to play it straight Obama.

But if it's just as easy as sneaking/demanding more money from consumers, how were the banks ever broke in the first place? At some point customers will either refuse to pay more, or have no more to give.

The Credit Cardholder's Bill of Rights Act of 2009

Shouldnt the big banks and lending institutions that received TARP funds pay those funds back in full?

Agreed there is probably a better way, but what is to prevent passing those costs on under any proposal?

A great (not just good) law, long over-due. But of course, unfortunately, some of the worst offenders will spend big bucks to find loopholes.

And, nothing will ever replace more personal responsibility when it comes to credit cards and personal finances.

Oh, I agree, but it does take away some of the trickery that the powerful credit card companies employ.

I think it was Voltaire who said (what'd he say again?) :)

Banquiers! Bah, porcs bourgeois ... hors de leur tête.

:lol:

Don't forget these accomplishments
--1st president in 110 years to miss the annual Army-Navy Football Game.

---1st president to not attend any Christmas religious observance.

---1st president to stay on vacation after a terrorist attack

Add to that, he's the first President not to stay in Washington for Christmas for the last 20 years. Past Presidents did not leave Washington for Christmas vacation until after Christmas. This was done so that their staff (Secret Service, Air Force One Crew, Limousine transport, Presidential advancing logistics etc..) could be with their families for Christmas.

When his Chief of Staff whispered in his ear, "A second plane has just struck the World Trade Center", then Obama sat for 15 minutes in a childs chair. Did not move. Did not ask any questions. Simply waited to be told what to do.

When informed that the worst possible scenario - a category 5 hurricane - would strike a major American city, Obama flew to Orange County CA for a campaign fund raiser. And then to McCain's birthday party in AZ.

When a tsunami killed a half million people, Obama refused for a week to let the Eisenhower task force in Hong Kong go to their rescue. After all, Obama said six C-130s were assistance.

When his Sec of the Treasury arrived to discuss a four page memo on the economy, Obama's Treasury Secretary discovered Obama had never read it. So he spent two hours reading and explaining that memo to Obama point by point.

After being informed of the political agenda, Obama decided to send men to Mars.

After meeting with the German Chancellor, then Norway's Foreign Minister said Obama would destroy the Oslo Accords.

Oh. Sorry. George Jr already did that. Which proves wacko extremists must be smarter. Limbaugh has again told me how to think.

When terrorists attacked on 9/11, our president sat in a childs chair for 15 minutes without even asking one question. He must be so smart as to never need to ask anything.

Spud, dude....can you make that post any bigger and bolder?

Unpatriotic bastard!

God-less heathen!

Lazy irresponsible bum!

The Obama Trifecta and A Trifecta of Nonsense

It never ceases to amaze me that some are so consumed with hate that they buy into these inane viral e-mails without a second thought.

No presidential staff on hand for the last 20 years of Xmas? Oh sure.

Sorry, I guess I misunderstood. I didn't know that Radar's list of accomplishments was supposed to be serious. I was just adding to the joke.

You rightwingnuts are a joke.

That was his second thought.

Well if someone on FOX says it, it must be true, right?

I have quite a few beefs with Obama, the biggest of which is, he didn't tackle regulation of banks etc., when he had a chance to get some REAL REFORM passed. Now there is a big fat chance in hell of getting anything real and meaningful through. Banks are still getting fat off the backs of taxpayers. We will never recoup all the money from them. They should have to pay back not only what WE gave them, but also what was LOST, as a result of their insane high stakes gambling.

He also stayed in the background during the whole healthcare debate and let it get out of control. Because of the way he did it (or rather didn't, since he was mostly absent), the crap that is getting through is, again, not real insurance reform. It is a big fat payoff, by taxpayers, to big insurance companies. (I admit I haven't been paying attention the past 2 weeks because I had surgery. But before that, the bill was crap.)

Upping the war in Afghanistan. We will never win that war. We cannot beat terrorism. Terrorism is a tactic, and al qaeda and other fundamentalist anti-US groups operate now all over the globe. Spending all that money if Afghanistan is a mistake, especially since we need that money HERE, in our own country. The measures we are taking are simply to make citizens feel better. (Like amping up airport security in certain countries. Terrorists aren't stupid. They will just get on planes in Britain or Sweden or some other country where the security is less.)

I really expected more when I voted for Obama. Maybe I'm jumping the gun, but I am really pretty disappointed. I thought by now we would have serious banking reform in place, a really good health care bill passed that covered everyone and lowered costs, and getting us OUT of the middle east.

Where were you when the resulting costs were defined so many years ago. The question was simple and obvious. "When are we going after bin Laden." Wackos all but protected their 'boggy man'. Completely surrendered in Afghanistan. That was when you should have been asking this question. Now we have no choice but to spend massively - harm the economy - because wackos literally subverted every effort to get bin Laden.

The CIA chief who was killed in Afghanistan was one of this nation's best experts in bin Laden and Al Qaeda. Why do you know that? She was a member of Alec Station. The group established by Clinton to only do one thing - get bin Laden. What happened to Alec Station? It was disbanded by George Jr because a political agenda was more important than America's interests. Those who saw this problem being created said, "When do we go after bin Laden?" Those who hated America due to a political agenda or plain ignorance would not ask that question. How often did you ask, "When are we going after bin Laden?"

C.I.A. Closes Unit Focused on Capture of bin Laden on 4 July 2006. That smoking gun obvious reality was to everyone - no doubts remained - of an American created disaster in Afghanistan. Was I not blunt honest enough back then? How many years ago - when George Jr was still in office - did you know the Taliban had almost completely reconquered Afghanistan?

We have no choice directly traceable to leaders who failed us by promoting a political agenda ahead of America's interests. Like Pearl Harbor, we have no alternatives. Only the minority here were telling you this when it mattered - before "Shock and Awe" and "Mission Accomplished". When the public remains brainwashed dumb, then costs due to protecting Public Enemy #1 only increase. Welcome to what the American public wanted when wackos lied about Saddam's WMDs - even tried to blame 11 September on Saddam. The resulting costs to America directly traceable to outright and intentional lies in 2001 and 2002. Lies so accurately identified back then by the few who also asked "When do we go after bin Laden?"

We still do not know, yet, how perverted the system is. We still need standards even for the accounting industry that has been so complicit in this corruption – that is not yet being identified. Where and how widespread is the subversion? Banking reform is scheduled for next year. It will be long and complicated, in part, because the finance industry corruption - obvious back in the 1990s with LTCM - is embedded in most every new law since then. The corruption is that widespread. And many are so stupid as to think bankers, stockbrokerages, hedge funds, etc need the 'best and the brightest'.

If those people are so good, then we want them in industries that actually make something. IOW expensive tellers should not reap multilple six and seven figure numbers for doing nothing productive – for only moving money. Unfortunately, we will see many so corrupt as to think, for example, a stock broker deserves a six figure salary. We have yet to address a reality. If you think health care has been a problem, wait to you see how ‘Limbaugh spin’ makes financial reform into a fiasco.

The lesser students I graduated with were also making $millions in finance companies. One bragged one day how me make and lost multiple $milllions about three years out of college. No problem. He reaped it back again. Salesmanship - not innovation and the advancement of mankind - is more important.

We have discussed that reality here often – with appropriate venom. And so many so believed the lies as to also believe the myths about mutual funds.

You want reform? Next year we will see how brainwashed so many can become. Did you notice many who even thought a new GM car was a good thing? How many decades were facts posted in the Cellar – and so many just denied it. Wait to you see the propaganda and public support for the finance industry - especially from the political extremist (in both parties) that are bought and paid for by Goldman Sachs, AIG, et al. That issue is too complex for this year. Ongoing behind the scenes are studies necessary before we can even begin to address a routinely corrupt finance industry. Only then will Congress be ready to consider necessary changes such as derivatives in open and regulated markets.

I didn't vote for him but I am giving him the benefit of the doubt in my 'wait and see' attitude.

I am however not seeing much because I have had my head stuck under a pillow and shaking in my boots since 2001.

I didn't. I figured Obama had 'signed on' to the agenda in order to get elected, and I see that he has.

I think you overestimate the power of the Office of President, and underestimate the power of Congress.

I also think he has underestimated the power of his office, and acquiesced to the power of Congress.

Great observation; well put.

Those are all positive things in my book. He chose to be with his family and work on fixing the BUSH RECESSION rather than wasting time on stupid things.

Sorry posted this in the wrong thread - Could a Mod please delete post in Earthquake thread

I think there are a number of good things that Obama has begun to do. I agree with some of the directions he is taking. I also disagree with some things.
I ran through this list and just thought I'd highlight some of the things which aren't accomplished YET or don't fit the "what he has done" label.
__________________

Re: Number 10:limits on lobbyist's access to the White House.

One of the most sweeping changes is not just limiting lobbyists' access to the White House...but limiting the influence of lobbyists throughout the Executive Branch by barring them from serving on advisory committees that provide guidance on drafting and/or reviewing regulations.

It received little notice at the time of its publication last summer, but K street has been in a frenzy in the last few months as it is put into place.

It is influencing regulations, as much as or more than influencing legislation, through which industry lobbyists can be most self-serving.

But yet the lobbyists are merely not registering and still doing the same thing without the constraints that Obama and his henchmen put on them. So what has changed?

So how does that make a difference when they merely deregister as a lobbyist?