The ..2012.... Political thread
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appletart2:
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Today marks the President's 1000th day in office. What has he done right and wrong ? Discuss.
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Like him better than Bush love doris
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That's fine Doris.
However, instead of a comparison, how about an independent appraisal of the current President ?
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How about yours? I have a question...what has been done to lower our gas prices? Any news in the natural gas front?
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I think he likes Paul McCartney and his music
He gives good speeches when reading off the teleprompter. He really knows how to raise money campaigning. There aren't too many more good things that I can say at this time. I think he should be rewarded ..... we could give him a vacation until the end of his term .... that would be nice
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The_Fool:
I think he likes Paul McCartney and his music
He gives good speeches when reading off the teleprompter. He really knows how to raise money campaigning. There aren't too many more good things that I can say at this time. I think he should be rewarded ..... we could give him a vacation until the end of his term .... that would be nice
I don't think Bush was a great pres. But there is major factor lacking in Obama that Bush had: leadership. America needs a leader and Obama hasn't been one.
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AbbeyRoadCrosser:
The_Fool:
I think he likes Paul McCartney and his music
He gives good speeches when reading off the teleprompter. He really knows how to raise money campaigning. There aren't too many more good things that I can say at this time. I think he should be rewarded ..... we could give him a vacation until the end of his term .... that would be nice
I don't think Bush was a great pres. But there is major factor lacking in Obama that Bush had: leadership. America needs a leader and Obama hasn't been one.
I disagree. I feel that Obama has many admirable qualities that are well suited to the office, but in today's vitriolic political climate being conscientious, open-minded and professorial is perceived as being a weak leader. You seem to correlate leadership with being an uncompromising, my-way-or-the-highway dick. Unfortunately, so do a lot of people which is why Obama needs to show some fire. To me, the overwhelming majority of politicians (on both sides) would rather see the other side fail at the expense of the country rather than reach across the aisle to rally around the opposing party's president. Obama needs to embrace some of the scumbag politics that the GOP are so good at using and give them a taste of their own medicine.
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I like the president Its hard to say I just know he is doing better than the last one. In the scheme of things if you make under a certain amount and depend on government assistance. You have to call the government offices everytime the media runs a scare. I emailed his office or an office or two and they managed to ease my mind. The last administration had people afraid to admit which party they voted for. love doris
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As now I'm into learning how to avoid answering questions... I prefer not to say it.
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I'm pretty happy with most of what Obama has accomplished so far: On reducing and assisting people that have become victims of the increased poverty made worse by economic crisis 1) A $20 billion increase for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps. 2) A $1 billion in funding for the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) that is intended to revitalize low-income communities via "Job training and placement assistance", "Financial literacy programs", et al, to helping families become self-sufficient. 3) A $2 billion in new Neighborhood Stabilization Funds that will allow ailing neighborhoods be kept maintained. 4) A $1.5 billion in Homelessness Prevention Funds to keep people in their homes and prevent homelessness. 5) A $5 billion increase for the Weatherization Assistance Program to help low income families save on their residential energy expenditures by making their homes more energy efficient. 6) A $4 Billion program, The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, "authorizes funding for federal school meal and child nutrition programs and increases access to healthy food for low-income children." 7) As part of the HCR bill, subsidies will be available to the uninsured and families with income between the 133 percent and 400 percent of poverty level($14,404 for individuals and $29,326 for a family of four).
Estabilished Open Doors to end the 640,000 men, women and children who are homeless in America by 2020. 9) Increased the amount of federal Pell Grant awards so that funds are available to those with less access to have opportunity. 10) Provided $510 Million for the rehabilitation of Native American housing. 11) Expanded eligibility for Medicaid to all individuals under age 65 with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level ($14,400 per year for an individual). 12) Providing assistance to low-income workers through the Earned Income Tax Credit giving millions of working families the break they need. 13) Education being the way out of Poverty, kicked off the "Race to the Top", a $4.3 billion program, that rewards via grants to States that meet a few key benchmarks for reform, and states that outperform the rest. On Health Care Reform: 1) Coverage can?t be denied to children with pre-existing conditions. 2) Adults up to age 26 can stay on their parents? health plans. 3) Free preventive care. 4) Rescinding coverage is now illegal. 5) Eliminating lifetime limits on insurance coverage. 6) Restricting annual limits on insurance coverage. 7) More options to appeal coverage decisions.
$5 billion in immediate federal support to affordable Coverage for the Uninsured with Pre-existing Conditions. 9) $10 billion investment in Community Health Centers. 10) Create immediate access to re-insurance for employer health plans providing coverage for early retirees. 11) Made an $80 billion dealwith the pharmaceutical industry to contribute to cut prescription drug costs for the nation?s seniors reduce the size of the "donut hole" in the Medicare (Part D) Drug Benefit. 12) Provides a $250 rebate to 750,000 Medicare Beneficiaries who reach the Part D coverage gap in 2010. As of March 22, 2011, 3.8 million beneficiaries had received a $250 check to close the coverage gap, according to an HHS report. 13) Businesses with fewer than 50 employees will get tax credits covering up to 35% of employee premiums effective 2011 and a 50% tax credit effective 2013. 14) Creates a state option to provide Medicaid coverage to childless adults with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level. By 2014, States are required to provide this coverage. 15) Provides a 10% Medicare bonus payment for primary care services and also a 10% Medicare bonus payment to general surgeons practicing in health professional shortage areas. 16) Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) requires that insurance companies spend at least 80 to 85 percent of the proportion of the premium dollars on clinical services. As an example, WellPoint's Anthem Blue Cross unit in California has reduced its proposed rate increase. On Jobs and the Economy: 1) The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has worked. The Economy Has Been Growing - take a look at the graph of GDP growth between 2007 thru 2010. 2) The $787 billion economic stimulus package has created or saved nearly 2 million jobs slowing the bleeding 3) Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 that extended Unemployment benefits up to 20 weeks and more. 4) Provided $14.7 billion in small business loans increasing minority access to capital. 5) The $26 billion aid to states package preventing large-scale layoffs of teachers and public employees. 6) As of March 31, 2011, created 1.8 million Private sector jobs since Jan 2010. 7) US auto industry rescue plan saved at least 1 million jobs
Helpedmake the Auto Industry start making huge profits again with Ford sales up 19% over last year. GM up 11%. Chrysler up a whopping 31%. 9) Jobs for Main Street Act (2010)injected $27.5 Billion for Highways, $8.4 Billion for Transit into the country?s transportation system to create jobs and spur economic activity. 10) A $33 Billion Jobs Packagethat will allow Small businesses to get $5,000 tax credit for new hires. 11) A $26 billion State Aid Package Jobs Bill saving 300,000 teachers and public workers jobs from unemployment. 12) As part of the 2010 tax extension, Unemployment Insurance was extended to 7 million Americans who would have been without income. On Banking and Financial Reform 1) Signed a sweeping bank-reform bill (the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act)into law 2) Managed the $700 Billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) that Banks have repaid more than 100% of TARP funds ($251 of the $245 banks owed) as of March 2011 exceeding the original investment by $6 billion. 3) Cuts Salaries of 65 Bailout Executives 4) Closed offshore tax safe havens, tax credit loopholes on companies that use the tax laws to ship American Jobs oversees. HR 4213. 5) Signed into law the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act to fight fraud in the use of TARP and recovery funds, and to increase accountability for corporate and mortgage frauds. 6) Signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act On Education 1) Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010 that increased the amount of federal Pell Grant awards and enabled the stripping of banks privileges as intermediaries for student loan servicing saving the US government about $68 billion dollars over 11 years. 2) Created the Race to the Top Fund, a $4.35 billion program to reward States that submit the best proposals for change. 3) As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, funded over$100 Billion for reforms to strengthen Elementary and Secondary education, early learning programs, college affordability and improve access to higher education, and to close the achievement gap. On Energy 1) Implemented renewable fuels mandate of 36 billion gallons by 2022, four times what we currently consume. 2) Automakers will be required to meet a fleet-wide average of New Gas Mileage Standards at 35.5 MPH by 2016. 3) A $60 billion investment in renewable and clean energy. 4) developed a Biofuels Roadmap to determine the next steps in growing an advanced biofuels economy to meet the goal to use at least 36 billion gallons of bio-based transportation fuels by 2022 helping create more green energy jobs. 5) established EPA regulations which require large U.S. ships to cut soot emissions by 85 percent. 6) pledged via the Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future that in a decade from now to cut our oil dependency by one-third, and put America's energy future by producing more oil at home and reducing our dependence on oil by leveraging cleaner, alternative fuels and greater efficiency. On Housing 1) $275 billion dollar housing plan - $75 billion dollars to prevent at-risk mortgage debtors already fallen victim to foreclosures and $200 billion to bring about confidence to offer affordable mortgages and to stability the housing market. 2) Established "Opening Doors" to end the homelessness of 640,000 men, women, and children in the United States in 10 years. 3) Provided $510 Million for the rehabilitation of Native American housing. 4) Provided $2 billion for Neighborhood Stabilization Program to rehab, resell, or demolish in order to stabilize neighborhoods. 5) Provided $5 billion for Weatherization Assistance Program for low income families to weatherize 1 million homes per year for the next decade. 6) Provided grants to encourage states and localities to take the first steps in implementing new building codes that prioritize energy efficiency. On Medicaid/Medicare/Social Security 1) giving $250 economic stimulus check to 55 million Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients in 2009. 2) Cutting prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients by 50% and began eliminating the plan?s gap (?donut hole?) in coverage. 3) Passing as part of H.R.3962 (Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010) a $6.4 billion measurereversing a 21 percent cut in physician payments that would have started a flood of rejections by some doctors of seniors covered by Medicare. 4) Expanded eligibility for Medicaid to all individuals under age 65 with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level ($14,400 per year for an individual). 5) Committed to ensuring that Social Security Budget Will Not Be Cut nor would change the retirement age. On Military Veterans and Families 1) A $112.8 billion VA budget, an increase of 15.5 percent over 2009, the largest percentage increase for VA requested by a president in more than 30 years. 2) Implemented a strategic planto increase the hiring of Veterans and Military spouses throughout the Federal civil service. 3) Provided for the expenses of families of to be at Dover AFB when fallen soldiers arrive. 4) Passed the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009 increasing the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans. 5) Declared the end of the war in Iraqi bringing back nearly 100,000 U.S. troops home to their families. 6) Donated 250K of Nobel prize money to Fisher House, a group that helps provide housing for families of patients receiving medical care at military and Veterans Affairs medical centers 7) Ended media blackout on war casualties; giving access to the return home of a dead US soldier for the first time since an 18-year ban on coverage was lifted.
Create a 'Green Vet Initiative' to promote environmental jobs for veterans 9) Signed into law the 2009 Military Spouses Residency Relief Act, that will allow military spouses to claim residency in the same state as their sponsor and retain that residency as long as the service member is in the military, in the process avoiding the states where they currently reside from taxing their earned income. 10) Signed the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 On LBGTQ issues 1) Extended benefitsto same-sex partners of federal employees 2) Signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act 3) Instructed HHS to require any hospital receiving Medicare or Medicaid funds (virtually all hospitals) to allow LGBT visitation rights. 4) Banned job discrimination based on gender identity throughout the Federal government (the nation's largest employer) 5) Signed the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act and while more funding is needed per the 2012 proposed budget, an increase of $80 million to domestic and global HIV/AIDS programs committed 6) Extended the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover Gay employees taking unpaid leave to care for their children of same-sex partners 7) Lifted the HIV Entry Ban.
Implemented HUD Policies that Would Ban Discrimination Based On Gender Identity 9) Appointed the first ever transgender DNC member 10) Named open transgender appointees (the first President ever to do so) 11) Eliminated the discriminatory Census Bureau policy that kept LGBT relationships from being counted 12) Extended domestic violence protections to LGBT victims 13) Repealedthe Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) Discriminatory law. 14) Declared DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) unconstitutional and stopped Defending In Court 15) Endorsed a U.N. declaration calling for the worldwide decriminalization of gays and lesbians around the world in an efforts to make it a worldwide policy. Tax deal extending Bush's tax cut for two years which often gets criticized will do the following: Damn it, the TAX DEAL is not PERMANENT 1) Keep $3,000 in tax savingsannually 2) Unemployment Benefit for 7,000,000 Americans worth $56 Billion. 3) $2,500 in tax savings to help pay for college tuition and other expenses 4) A $2,000 payroll tax savings to someone making $100,000 or a $1,000 payroll tax savings at a 2% employee-side payroll tax cut for over 155 million workers 5) Child tax credit of $1,000 per child with the $3,000 maximum credit threshold. 6) Earned Income Tax Credit that will give on an average $600 in additional assistance to families with 3 or more children 7) A 65 percent tax credit to help cover the cost of COBRA for those who lost their jobs in the recession
forecast to creating approximately 1.6 million jobs increasing the GDP for 2011 9) extended the credit for adoption-related expenses that reduces families tax bill up to $13,170 in 2011 through 2012 with a maximum of $12,170 in credit. Other Notables 1) signed the Health Package For 9/11 Responders bill that puts $4.3 billion into a fund to assist folks that are suffering from problems caused by breathed-in dust and debris during the 9/11 clean up. 2) signed into law a sweeping Food Safety Act bill that contains 18 major changes to food safety laws. 3) made an excellent choice selecting a new Chief of Staff, William Daley, who Eric London has made a super case for why it was a smart choice. 4) made a $78 billion spending cut to the U.S. military and defense department budget, including reducing the size of the Army and Marine Corps. 5) signed in to law the START Treaty with Russia, a sweeping new arms reduction pact that will reduce the stockpile nuclear weapons in both countries adding new verification plan. 6) The passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act enabling the rights of workers to sue employers over wage discrimination claims. 7) The expansion of SCHIP health-care program for children worth $33 Billion.
The declaration of two million more acres of wilderness in one of the most omnibus Public Lands bill. 9) Government Transparency as noted by Common Cause, Democracy 21, League of Women Voters and U.S. PIRG-- "The cumulative effect of the Administration's actions has been to adopt the strongest and most comprehensive lobbying, ethics and transparency rules and policies ever established by an Administration to govern its own activities". You can read full report in all of the seven areas the report is graded. 10) signed the Tribal Law and Order Act -- an important step to help the Federal Government better address the unique public safety challenges that confront tribal communities. Obama New Jobs Program would help a lot so of course republicans don't want it to pass.. sick. Republicans are trying to undo the financial regulations that were passed....sick Republicans are trying to undo Health Care Reform...sick etc, etc, etc, Not accomplished in 3 years of Obama presidency 1) Did not dismiss threats of immediate attack to US as bush did which resulted in 9/11..in fact OBL is gone! 2)Has not attacked any 'wrong' countries 3) So far looks like he'll be able to travel the world at will after his terms...unlike bush who can't leave country as he would be arrested as a war criminal etc, etc.
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service_gamer:
AbbeyRoadCrosser:
The_Fool:
I think he likes Paul McCartney and his music
He gives good speeches when reading off the teleprompter. He really knows how to raise money campaigning. There aren't too many more good things that I can say at this time. I think he should be rewarded ..... we could give him a vacation until the end of his term .... that would be nice
I don't think Bush was a great pres. But there is major factor lacking in Obama that Bush had: leadership. America needs a leader and Obama hasn't been one.
I disagree. I feel that Obama has many admirable qualities that are well suited to the office, but in today's vitriolic political climate being conscientious, open-minded and professorial is perceived as being a weak leader. You seem to correlate leadership with being an uncompromising, my-way-or-the-highway dick. Unfortunately, so do a lot of people which is why Obama needs to show some fire. To me, the overwhelming majority of politicians (on both sides) would rather see the other side fail at the expense of the country rather than reach across the aisle to rally around the opposing party's president. Obama needs to embrace some of the scumbag politics that the GOP are so good at using and give them a taste of their own medicine.
Naive. Naive. Naive.
Obama has NO executive experience. He has not led a group of people of any size, let alone a nation. He is a smart man and a nice man. Neither qualities qualify him for the Presidency.
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mustangsally10:
I'm pretty happy with most of what Obama has accomplished so far: On reducing and assisting people that have become victims of the increased poverty made worse by economic crisis 1) A $20 billion increase for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps. 2) A $1 billion in funding for the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) that is intended to revitalize low-income communities via "Job training and placement assistance", "Financial literacy programs", et al, to helping families become self-sufficient. 3) A $2 billion in new Neighborhood Stabilization Funds that will allow ailing neighborhoods be kept maintained. 4) A $1.5 billion in Homelessness Prevention Funds to keep people in their homes and prevent homelessness. 5) A $5 billion increase for the Weatherization Assistance Program to help low income families save on their residential energy expenditures by making their homes more energy efficient. 6) A $4 Billion program, The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, "authorizes funding for federal school meal and child nutrition programs and increases access to healthy food for low-income children." 7) As part of the HCR bill, subsidies will be available to the uninsured and families with income between the 133 percent and 400 percent of poverty level($14,404 for individuals and $29,326 for a family of four).
Estabilished Open Doors to end the 640,000 men, women and children who are homeless in America by 2020. 9) Increased the amount of federal Pell Grant awards so that funds are available to those with less access to have opportunity. 10) Provided $510 Million for the rehabilitation of Native American housing. 11) Expanded eligibility for Medicaid to all individuals under age 65 with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level ($14,400 per year for an individual). 12) Providing assistance to low-income workers through the Earned Income Tax Credit giving millions of working families the break they need. 13) Education being the way out of Poverty, kicked off the "Race to the Top", a $4.3 billion program, that rewards via grants to States that meet a few key benchmarks for reform, and states that outperform the rest. On Health Care Reform: 1) Coverage can?t be denied to children with pre-existing conditions. 2) Adults up to age 26 can stay on their parents? health plans. 3) Free preventive care. 4) Rescinding coverage is now illegal. 5) Eliminating lifetime limits on insurance coverage. 6) Restricting annual limits on insurance coverage. 7) More options to appeal coverage decisions.
$5 billion in immediate federal support to affordable Coverage for the Uninsured with Pre-existing Conditions. 9) $10 billion investment in Community Health Centers. 10) Create immediate access to re-insurance for employer health plans providing coverage for early retirees. 11) Made an $80 billion dealwith the pharmaceutical industry to contribute to cut prescription drug costs for the nation?s seniors reduce the size of the "donut hole" in the Medicare (Part D) Drug Benefit. 12) Provides a $250 rebate to 750,000 Medicare Beneficiaries who reach the Part D coverage gap in 2010. As of March 22, 2011, 3.8 million beneficiaries had received a $250 check to close the coverage gap, according to an HHS report. 13) Businesses with fewer than 50 employees will get tax credits covering up to 35% of employee premiums effective 2011 and a 50% tax credit effective 2013. 14) Creates a state option to provide Medicaid coverage to childless adults with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level. By 2014, States are required to provide this coverage. 15) Provides a 10% Medicare bonus payment for primary care services and also a 10% Medicare bonus payment to general surgeons practicing in health professional shortage areas. 16) Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) requires that insurance companies spend at least 80 to 85 percent of the proportion of the premium dollars on clinical services. As an example, WellPoint's Anthem Blue Cross unit in California has reduced its proposed rate increase. On Jobs and the Economy: 1) The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has worked. The Economy Has Been Growing - take a look at the graph of GDP growth between 2007 thru 2010. 2) The $787 billion economic stimulus package has created or saved nearly 2 million jobs slowing the bleeding 3) Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 that extended Unemployment benefits up to 20 weeks and more. 4) Provided $14.7 billion in small business loans increasing minority access to capital. 5) The $26 billion aid to states package preventing large-scale layoffs of teachers and public employees. 6) As of March 31, 2011, created 1.8 million Private sector jobs since Jan 2010. 7) US auto industry rescue plan saved at least 1 million jobs
Helpedmake the Auto Industry start making huge profits again with Ford sales up 19% over last year. GM up 11%. Chrysler up a whopping 31%. 9) Jobs for Main Street Act (2010)injected $27.5 Billion for Highways, $8.4 Billion for Transit into the country?s transportation system to create jobs and spur economic activity. 10) A $33 Billion Jobs Packagethat will allow Small businesses to get $5,000 tax credit for new hires. 11) A $26 billion State Aid Package Jobs Bill saving 300,000 teachers and public workers jobs from unemployment. 12) As part of the 2010 tax extension, Unemployment Insurance was extended to 7 million Americans who would have been without income. On Banking and Financial Reform 1) Signed a sweeping bank-reform bill (the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act)into law 2) Managed the $700 Billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) that Banks have repaid more than 100% of TARP funds ($251 of the $245 banks owed) as of March 2011 exceeding the original investment by $6 billion. 3) Cuts Salaries of 65 Bailout Executives 4) Closed offshore tax safe havens, tax credit loopholes on companies that use the tax laws to ship American Jobs oversees. HR 4213. 5) Signed into law the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act to fight fraud in the use of TARP and recovery funds, and to increase accountability for corporate and mortgage frauds. 6) Signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act On Education 1) Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010 that increased the amount of federal Pell Grant awards and enabled the stripping of banks privileges as intermediaries for student loan servicing saving the US government about $68 billion dollars over 11 years. 2) Created the Race to the Top Fund, a $4.35 billion program to reward States that submit the best proposals for change. 3) As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, funded over$100 Billion for reforms to strengthen Elementary and Secondary education, early learning programs, college affordability and improve access to higher education, and to close the achievement gap. On Energy 1) Implemented renewable fuels mandate of 36 billion gallons by 2022, four times what we currently consume. 2) Automakers will be required to meet a fleet-wide average of New Gas Mileage Standards at 35.5 MPH by 2016. 3) A $60 billion investment in renewable and clean energy. 4) developed a Biofuels Roadmap to determine the next steps in growing an advanced biofuels economy to meet the goal to use at least 36 billion gallons of bio-based transportation fuels by 2022 helping create more green energy jobs. 5) established EPA regulations which require large U.S. ships to cut soot emissions by 85 percent. 6) pledged via the Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future that in a decade from now to cut our oil dependency by one-third, and put America's energy future by producing more oil at home and reducing our dependence on oil by leveraging cleaner, alternative fuels and greater efficiency. On Housing 1) $275 billion dollar housing plan - $75 billion dollars to prevent at-risk mortgage debtors already fallen victim to foreclosures and $200 billion to bring about confidence to offer affordable mortgages and to stability the housing market. 2) Established "Opening Doors" to end the homelessness of 640,000 men, women, and children in the United States in 10 years. 3) Provided $510 Million for the rehabilitation of Native American housing. 4) Provided $2 billion for Neighborhood Stabilization Program to rehab, resell, or demolish in order to stabilize neighborhoods. 5) Provided $5 billion for Weatherization Assistance Program for low income families to weatherize 1 million homes per year for the next decade. 6) Provided grants to encourage states and localities to take the first steps in implementing new building codes that prioritize energy efficiency. On Medicaid/Medicare/Social Security 1) giving $250 economic stimulus check to 55 million Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients in 2009. 2) Cutting prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients by 50% and began eliminating the plan?s gap (?donut hole?) in coverage. 3) Passing as part of H.R.3962 (Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010) a $6.4 billion measurereversing a 21 percent cut in physician payments that would have started a flood of rejections by some doctors of seniors covered by Medicare. 4) Expanded eligibility for Medicaid to all individuals under age 65 with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level ($14,400 per year for an individual). 5) Committed to ensuring that Social Security Budget Will Not Be Cut nor would change the retirement age. On Military Veterans and Families 1) A $112.8 billion VA budget, an increase of 15.5 percent over 2009, the largest percentage increase for VA requested by a president in more than 30 years. 2) Implemented a strategic planto increase the hiring of Veterans and Military spouses throughout the Federal civil service. 3) Provided for the expenses of families of to be at Dover AFB when fallen soldiers arrive. 4) Passed the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009 increasing the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans. 5) Declared the end of the war in Iraqi bringing back nearly 100,000 U.S. troops home to their families. 6) Donated 250K of Nobel prize money to Fisher House, a group that helps provide housing for families of patients receiving medical care at military and Veterans Affairs medical centers 7) Ended media blackout on war casualties; giving access to the return home of a dead US soldier for the first time since an 18-year ban on coverage was lifted.
Create a 'Green Vet Initiative' to promote environmental jobs for veterans 9) Signed into law the 2009 Military Spouses Residency Relief Act, that will allow military spouses to claim residency in the same state as their sponsor and retain that residency as long as the service member is in the military, in the process avoiding the states where they currently reside from taxing their earned income. 10) Signed the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 On LBGTQ issues 1) Extended benefitsto same-sex partners of federal employees 2) Signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act 3) Instructed HHS to require any hospital receiving Medicare or Medicaid funds (virtually all hospitals) to allow LGBT visitation rights. 4) Banned job discrimination based on gender identity throughout the Federal government (the nation's largest employer) 5) Signed the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act and while more funding is needed per the 2012 proposed budget, an increase of $80 million to domestic and global HIV/AIDS programs committed 6) Extended the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover Gay employees taking unpaid leave to care for their children of same-sex partners 7) Lifted the HIV Entry Ban.
Implemented HUD Policies that Would Ban Discrimination Based On Gender Identity 9) Appointed the first ever transgender DNC member 10) Named open transgender appointees (the first President ever to do so) 11) Eliminated the discriminatory Census Bureau policy that kept LGBT relationships from being counted 12) Extended domestic violence protections to LGBT victims 13) Repealedthe Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) Discriminatory law. 14) Declared DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) unconstitutional and stopped Defending In Court 15) Endorsed a U.N. declaration calling for the worldwide decriminalization of gays and lesbians around the world in an efforts to make it a worldwide policy. Tax deal extending Bush's tax cut for two years which often gets criticized will do the following: Damn it, the TAX DEAL is not PERMANENT 1) Keep $3,000 in tax savingsannually 2) Unemployment Benefit for 7,000,000 Americans worth $56 Billion. 3) $2,500 in tax savings to help pay for college tuition and other expenses 4) A $2,000 payroll tax savings to someone making $100,000 or a $1,000 payroll tax savings at a 2% employee-side payroll tax cut for over 155 million workers 5) Child tax credit of $1,000 per child with the $3,000 maximum credit threshold. 6) Earned Income Tax Credit that will give on an average $600 in additional assistance to families with 3 or more children 7) A 65 percent tax credit to help cover the cost of COBRA for those who lost their jobs in the recession
forecast to creating approximately 1.6 million jobs increasing the GDP for 2011 9) extended the credit for adoption-related expenses that reduces families tax bill up to $13,170 in 2011 through 2012 with a maximum of $12,170 in credit. Other Notables 1) signed the Health Package For 9/11 Responders bill that puts $4.3 billion into a fund to assist folks that are suffering from problems caused by breathed-in dust and debris during the 9/11 clean up. 2) signed into law a sweeping Food Safety Act bill that contains 18 major changes to food safety laws. 3) made an excellent choice selecting a new Chief of Staff, William Daley, who Eric London has made a super case for why it was a smart choice. 4) made a $78 billion spending cut to the U.S. military and defense department budget, including reducing the size of the Army and Marine Corps. 5) signed in to law the START Treaty with Russia, a sweeping new arms reduction pact that will reduce the stockpile nuclear weapons in both countries adding new verification plan. 6) The passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act enabling the rights of workers to sue employers over wage discrimination claims. 7) The expansion of SCHIP health-care program for children worth $33 Billion.
The declaration of two million more acres of wilderness in one of the most omnibus Public Lands bill. 9) Government Transparency as noted by Common Cause, Democracy 21, League of Women Voters and U.S. PIRG-- "The cumulative effect of the Administration's actions has been to adopt the strongest and most comprehensive lobbying, ethics and transparency rules and policies ever established by an Administration to govern its own activities". You can read full report in all of the seven areas the report is graded. 10) signed the Tribal Law and Order Act -- an important step to help the Federal Government better address the unique public safety challenges that confront tribal communities. Obama New Jobs Program would help a lot so of course republicans don't want it to pass.. sick. Republicans are trying to undo the financial regulations that were passed....sick Republicans are trying to undo Health Care Reform...sick etc, etc, etc, Not accomplished in 3 years of Obama presidency 1) Did not dismiss threats of immediate attack to US as bush did which resulted in 9/11..in fact OBL is gone! 2)Has not attacked any 'wrong' countries 3) So far looks like he'll be able to travel the world at will after his terms...unlike bush who can't leave country as he would be arrested as a war criminal etc, etc.
bush had leadership experience and look where he lead the US (world) almost destroyed it
Obama's accomplishments as listed above show strong leadership. It's about results. Of course he doesn't show bravado..not his style..just quiet competence and restraint..much needed in these times.
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mustangsally10:
mustangsally10:
I'm pretty happy with most of what Obama has accomplished so far: On reducing and assisting people that have become victims of the increased poverty made worse by economic crisis 1) A $20 billion increase for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps. 2) A $1 billion in funding for the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) that is intended to revitalize low-income communities via "Job training and placement assistance", "Financial literacy programs", et al, to helping families become self-sufficient. 3) A $2 billion in new Neighborhood Stabilization Funds that will allow ailing neighborhoods be kept maintained. 4) A $1.5 billion in Homelessness Prevention Funds to keep people in their homes and prevent homelessness. 5) A $5 billion increase for the Weatherization Assistance Program to help low income families save on their residential energy expenditures by making their homes more energy efficient. 6) A $4 Billion program, The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, "authorizes funding for federal school meal and child nutrition programs and increases access to healthy food for low-income children." 7) As part of the HCR bill, subsidies will be available to the uninsured and families with income between the 133 percent and 400 percent of poverty level($14,404 for individuals and $29,326 for a family of four).
Estabilished Open Doors to end the 640,000 men, women and children who are homeless in America by 2020. 9) Increased the amount of federal Pell Grant awards so that funds are available to those with less access to have opportunity. 10) Provided $510 Million for the rehabilitation of Native American housing. 11) Expanded eligibility for Medicaid to all individuals under age 65 with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level ($14,400 per year for an individual). 12) Providing assistance to low-income workers through the Earned Income Tax Credit giving millions of working families the break they need. 13) Education being the way out of Poverty, kicked off the "Race to the Top", a $4.3 billion program, that rewards via grants to States that meet a few key benchmarks for reform, and states that outperform the rest. On Health Care Reform: 1) Coverage can?t be denied to children with pre-existing conditions. 2) Adults up to age 26 can stay on their parents? health plans. 3) Free preventive care. 4) Rescinding coverage is now illegal. 5) Eliminating lifetime limits on insurance coverage. 6) Restricting annual limits on insurance coverage. 7) More options to appeal coverage decisions.
$5 billion in immediate federal support to affordable Coverage for the Uninsured with Pre-existing Conditions. 9) $10 billion investment in Community Health Centers. 10) Create immediate access to re-insurance for employer health plans providing coverage for early retirees. 11) Made an $80 billion dealwith the pharmaceutical industry to contribute to cut prescription drug costs for the nation?s seniors reduce the size of the "donut hole" in the Medicare (Part D) Drug Benefit. 12) Provides a $250 rebate to 750,000 Medicare Beneficiaries who reach the Part D coverage gap in 2010. As of March 22, 2011, 3.8 million beneficiaries had received a $250 check to close the coverage gap, according to an HHS report. 13) Businesses with fewer than 50 employees will get tax credits covering up to 35% of employee premiums effective 2011 and a 50% tax credit effective 2013. 14) Creates a state option to provide Medicaid coverage to childless adults with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level. By 2014, States are required to provide this coverage. 15) Provides a 10% Medicare bonus payment for primary care services and also a 10% Medicare bonus payment to general surgeons practicing in health professional shortage areas. 16) Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) requires that insurance companies spend at least 80 to 85 percent of the proportion of the premium dollars on clinical services. As an example, WellPoint's Anthem Blue Cross unit in California has reduced its proposed rate increase. On Jobs and the Economy: 1) The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has worked. The Economy Has Been Growing - take a look at the graph of GDP growth between 2007 thru 2010. 2) The $787 billion economic stimulus package has created or saved nearly 2 million jobs slowing the bleeding 3) Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 that extended Unemployment benefits up to 20 weeks and more. 4) Provided $14.7 billion in small business loans increasing minority access to capital. 5) The $26 billion aid to states package preventing large-scale layoffs of teachers and public employees. 6) As of March 31, 2011, created 1.8 million Private sector jobs since Jan 2010. 7) US auto industry rescue plan saved at least 1 million jobs
Helpedmake the Auto Industry start making huge profits again with Ford sales up 19% over last year. GM up 11%. Chrysler up a whopping 31%. 9) Jobs for Main Street Act (2010)injected $27.5 Billion for Highways, $8.4 Billion for Transit into the country?s transportation system to create jobs and spur economic activity. 10) A $33 Billion Jobs Packagethat will allow Small businesses to get $5,000 tax credit for new hires. 11) A $26 billion State Aid Package Jobs Bill saving 300,000 teachers and public workers jobs from unemployment. 12) As part of the 2010 tax extension, Unemployment Insurance was extended to 7 million Americans who would have been without income. On Banking and Financial Reform 1) Signed a sweeping bank-reform bill (the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act)into law 2) Managed the $700 Billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) that Banks have repaid more than 100% of TARP funds ($251 of the $245 banks owed) as of March 2011 exceeding the original investment by $6 billion. 3) Cuts Salaries of 65 Bailout Executives 4) Closed offshore tax safe havens, tax credit loopholes on companies that use the tax laws to ship American Jobs oversees. HR 4213. 5) Signed into law the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act to fight fraud in the use of TARP and recovery funds, and to increase accountability for corporate and mortgage frauds. 6) Signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act On Education 1) Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010 that increased the amount of federal Pell Grant awards and enabled the stripping of banks privileges as intermediaries for student loan servicing saving the US government about $68 billion dollars over 11 years. 2) Created the Race to the Top Fund, a $4.35 billion program to reward States that submit the best proposals for change. 3) As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, funded over$100 Billion for reforms to strengthen Elementary and Secondary education, early learning programs, college affordability and improve access to higher education, and to close the achievement gap. On Energy 1) Implemented renewable fuels mandate of 36 billion gallons by 2022, four times what we currently consume. 2) Automakers will be required to meet a fleet-wide average of New Gas Mileage Standards at 35.5 MPH by 2016. 3) A $60 billion investment in renewable and clean energy. 4) developed a Biofuels Roadmap to determine the next steps in growing an advanced biofuels economy to meet the goal to use at least 36 billion gallons of bio-based transportation fuels by 2022 helping create more green energy jobs. 5) established EPA regulations which require large U.S. ships to cut soot emissions by 85 percent. 6) pledged via the Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future that in a decade from now to cut our oil dependency by one-third, and put America's energy future by producing more oil at home and reducing our dependence on oil by leveraging cleaner, alternative fuels and greater efficiency. On Housing 1) $275 billion dollar housing plan - $75 billion dollars to prevent at-risk mortgage debtors already fallen victim to foreclosures and $200 billion to bring about confidence to offer affordable mortgages and to stability the housing market. 2) Established "Opening Doors" to end the homelessness of 640,000 men, women, and children in the United States in 10 years. 3) Provided $510 Million for the rehabilitation of Native American housing. 4) Provided $2 billion for Neighborhood Stabilization Program to rehab, resell, or demolish in order to stabilize neighborhoods. 5) Provided $5 billion for Weatherization Assistance Program for low income families to weatherize 1 million homes per year for the next decade. 6) Provided grants to encourage states and localities to take the first steps in implementing new building codes that prioritize energy efficiency. On Medicaid/Medicare/Social Security 1) giving $250 economic stimulus check to 55 million Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients in 2009. 2) Cutting prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients by 50% and began eliminating the plan?s gap (?donut hole?) in coverage. 3) Passing as part of H.R.3962 (Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010) a $6.4 billion measurereversing a 21 percent cut in physician payments that would have started a flood of rejections by some doctors of seniors covered by Medicare. 4) Expanded eligibility for Medicaid to all individuals under age 65 with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level ($14,400 per year for an individual). 5) Committed to ensuring that Social Security Budget Will Not Be Cut nor would change the retirement age. On Military Veterans and Families 1) A $112.8 billion VA budget, an increase of 15.5 percent over 2009, the largest percentage increase for VA requested by a president in more than 30 years. 2) Implemented a strategic planto increase the hiring of Veterans and Military spouses throughout the Federal civil service. 3) Provided for the expenses of families of to be at Dover AFB when fallen soldiers arrive. 4) Passed the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009 increasing the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans. 5) Declared the end of the war in Iraqi bringing back nearly 100,000 U.S. troops home to their families. 6) Donated 250K of Nobel prize money to Fisher House, a group that helps provide housing for families of patients receiving medical care at military and Veterans Affairs medical centers 7) Ended media blackout on war casualties; giving access to the return home of a dead US soldier for the first time since an 18-year ban on coverage was lifted.
Create a 'Green Vet Initiative' to promote environmental jobs for veterans 9) Signed into law the 2009 Military Spouses Residency Relief Act, that will allow military spouses to claim residency in the same state as their sponsor and retain that residency as long as the service member is in the military, in the process avoiding the states where they currently reside from taxing their earned income. 10) Signed the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 On LBGTQ issues 1) Extended benefitsto same-sex partners of federal employees 2) Signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act 3) Instructed HHS to require any hospital receiving Medicare or Medicaid funds (virtually all hospitals) to allow LGBT visitation rights. 4) Banned job discrimination based on gender identity throughout the Federal government (the nation's largest employer) 5) Signed the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act and while more funding is needed per the 2012 proposed budget, an increase of $80 million to domestic and global HIV/AIDS programs committed 6) Extended the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover Gay employees taking unpaid leave to care for their children of same-sex partners 7) Lifted the HIV Entry Ban.
Implemented HUD Policies that Would Ban Discrimination Based On Gender Identity 9) Appointed the first ever transgender DNC member 10) Named open transgender appointees (the first President ever to do so) 11) Eliminated the discriminatory Census Bureau policy that kept LGBT relationships from being counted 12) Extended domestic violence protections to LGBT victims 13) Repealedthe Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) Discriminatory law. 14) Declared DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) unconstitutional and stopped Defending In Court 15) Endorsed a U.N. declaration calling for the worldwide decriminalization of gays and lesbians around the world in an efforts to make it a worldwide policy. Tax deal extending Bush's tax cut for two years which often gets criticized will do the following: Damn it, the TAX DEAL is not PERMANENT 1) Keep $3,000 in tax savingsannually 2) Unemployment Benefit for 7,000,000 Americans worth $56 Billion. 3) $2,500 in tax savings to help pay for college tuition and other expenses 4) A $2,000 payroll tax savings to someone making $100,000 or a $1,000 payroll tax savings at a 2% employee-side payroll tax cut for over 155 million workers 5) Child tax credit of $1,000 per child with the $3,000 maximum credit threshold. 6) Earned Income Tax Credit that will give on an average $600 in additional assistance to families with 3 or more children 7) A 65 percent tax credit to help cover the cost of COBRA for those who lost their jobs in the recession
forecast to creating approximately 1.6 million jobs increasing the GDP for 2011 9) extended the credit for adoption-related expenses that reduces families tax bill up to $13,170 in 2011 through 2012 with a maximum of $12,170 in credit. Other Notables 1) signed the Health Package For 9/11 Responders bill that puts $4.3 billion into a fund to assist folks that are suffering from problems caused by breathed-in dust and debris during the 9/11 clean up. 2) signed into law a sweeping Food Safety Act bill that contains 18 major changes to food safety laws. 3) made an excellent choice selecting a new Chief of Staff, William Daley, who Eric London has made a super case for why it was a smart choice. 4) made a $78 billion spending cut to the U.S. military and defense department budget, including reducing the size of the Army and Marine Corps. 5) signed in to law the START Treaty with Russia, a sweeping new arms reduction pact that will reduce the stockpile nuclear weapons in both countries adding new verification plan. 6) The passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act enabling the rights of workers to sue employers over wage discrimination claims. 7) The expansion of SCHIP health-care program for children worth $33 Billion.
The declaration of two million more acres of wilderness in one of the most omnibus Public Lands bill. 9) Government Transparency as noted by Common Cause, Democracy 21, League of Women Voters and U.S. PIRG-- "The cumulative effect of the Administration's actions has been to adopt the strongest and most comprehensive lobbying, ethics and transparency rules and policies ever established by an Administration to govern its own activities". You can read full report in all of the seven areas the report is graded. 10) signed the Tribal Law and Order Act -- an important step to help the Federal Government better address the unique public safety challenges that confront tribal communities. Obama New Jobs Program would help a lot so of course republicans don't want it to pass.. sick. Republicans are trying to undo the financial regulations that were passed....sick Republicans are trying to undo Health Care Reform...sick etc, etc, etc, Not accomplished in 3 years of Obama presidency 1) Did not dismiss threats of immediate attack to US as bush did which resulted in 9/11..in fact OBL is gone! 2)Has not attacked any 'wrong' countries 3) So far looks like he'll be able to travel the world at will after his terms...unlike bush who can't leave country as he would be arrested as a war criminal etc, etc.
bush had leadership experience and look where he lead the US (world) almost destroyed it
Obama's accomplishments as listed above show strong leadership. It's about results. Of course he doesn't show bravado..not his style..just quiet competence and restraint..much needed in these times.
Agreed...however -- once in a while -- it would be nice to see him get in touch with his fighting side, i.e. Bill Clinton.
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audi:
mustangsally10:
mustangsally10:
I'm pretty happy with most of what Obama has accomplished so far: On reducing and assisting people that have become victims of the increased poverty made worse by economic crisis 1) A $20 billion increase for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps. 2) A $1 billion in funding for the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) that is intended to revitalize low-income communities via "Job training and placement assistance", "Financial literacy programs", et al, to helping families become self-sufficient. 3) A $2 billion in new Neighborhood Stabilization Funds that will allow ailing neighborhoods be kept maintained. 4) A $1.5 billion in Homelessness Prevention Funds to keep people in their homes and prevent homelessness. 5) A $5 billion increase for the Weatherization Assistance Program to help low income families save on their residential energy expenditures by making their homes more energy efficient. 6) A $4 Billion program, The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, "authorizes funding for federal school meal and child nutrition programs and increases access to healthy food for low-income children." 7) As part of the HCR bill, subsidies will be available to the uninsured and families with income between the 133 percent and 400 percent of poverty level($14,404 for individuals and $29,326 for a family of four).
Estabilished Open Doors to end the 640,000 men, women and children who are homeless in America by 2020. 9) Increased the amount of federal Pell Grant awards so that funds are available to those with less access to have opportunity. 10) Provided $510 Million for the rehabilitation of Native American housing. 11) Expanded eligibility for Medicaid to all individuals under age 65 with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level ($14,400 per year for an individual). 12) Providing assistance to low-income workers through the Earned Income Tax Credit giving millions of working families the break they need. 13) Education being the way out of Poverty, kicked off the "Race to the Top", a $4.3 billion program, that rewards via grants to States that meet a few key benchmarks for reform, and states that outperform the rest. On Health Care Reform: 1) Coverage can?t be denied to children with pre-existing conditions. 2) Adults up to age 26 can stay on their parents? health plans. 3) Free preventive care. 4) Rescinding coverage is now illegal. 5) Eliminating lifetime limits on insurance coverage. 6) Restricting annual limits on insurance coverage. 7) More options to appeal coverage decisions.
$5 billion in immediate federal support to affordable Coverage for the Uninsured with Pre-existing Conditions. 9) $10 billion investment in Community Health Centers. 10) Create immediate access to re-insurance for employer health plans providing coverage for early retirees. 11) Made an $80 billion dealwith the pharmaceutical industry to contribute to cut prescription drug costs for the nation?s seniors reduce the size of the "donut hole" in the Medicare (Part D) Drug Benefit. 12) Provides a $250 rebate to 750,000 Medicare Beneficiaries who reach the Part D coverage gap in 2010. As of March 22, 2011, 3.8 million beneficiaries had received a $250 check to close the coverage gap, according to an HHS report. 13) Businesses with fewer than 50 employees will get tax credits covering up to 35% of employee premiums effective 2011 and a 50% tax credit effective 2013. 14) Creates a state option to provide Medicaid coverage to childless adults with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level. By 2014, States are required to provide this coverage. 15) Provides a 10% Medicare bonus payment for primary care services and also a 10% Medicare bonus payment to general surgeons practicing in health professional shortage areas. 16) Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) requires that insurance companies spend at least 80 to 85 percent of the proportion of the premium dollars on clinical services. As an example, WellPoint's Anthem Blue Cross unit in California has reduced its proposed rate increase. On Jobs and the Economy: 1) The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has worked. The Economy Has Been Growing - take a look at the graph of GDP growth between 2007 thru 2010. 2) The $787 billion economic stimulus package has created or saved nearly 2 million jobs slowing the bleeding 3) Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 that extended Unemployment benefits up to 20 weeks and more. 4) Provided $14.7 billion in small business loans increasing minority access to capital. 5) The $26 billion aid to states package preventing large-scale layoffs of teachers and public employees. 6) As of March 31, 2011, created 1.8 million Private sector jobs since Jan 2010. 7) US auto industry rescue plan saved at least 1 million jobs
Helpedmake the Auto Industry start making huge profits again with Ford sales up 19% over last year. GM up 11%. Chrysler up a whopping 31%. 9) Jobs for Main Street Act (2010)injected $27.5 Billion for Highways, $8.4 Billion for Transit into the country?s transportation system to create jobs and spur economic activity. 10) A $33 Billion Jobs Packagethat will allow Small businesses to get $5,000 tax credit for new hires. 11) A $26 billion State Aid Package Jobs Bill saving 300,000 teachers and public workers jobs from unemployment. 12) As part of the 2010 tax extension, Unemployment Insurance was extended to 7 million Americans who would have been without income. On Banking and Financial Reform 1) Signed a sweeping bank-reform bill (the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act)into law 2) Managed the $700 Billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) that Banks have repaid more than 100% of TARP funds ($251 of the $245 banks owed) as of March 2011 exceeding the original investment by $6 billion. 3) Cuts Salaries of 65 Bailout Executives 4) Closed offshore tax safe havens, tax credit loopholes on companies that use the tax laws to ship American Jobs oversees. HR 4213. 5) Signed into law the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act to fight fraud in the use of TARP and recovery funds, and to increase accountability for corporate and mortgage frauds. 6) Signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act On Education 1) Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010 that increased the amount of federal Pell Grant awards and enabled the stripping of banks privileges as intermediaries for student loan servicing saving the US government about $68 billion dollars over 11 years. 2) Created the Race to the Top Fund, a $4.35 billion program to reward States that submit the best proposals for change. 3) As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, funded over$100 Billion for reforms to strengthen Elementary and Secondary education, early learning programs, college affordability and improve access to higher education, and to close the achievement gap. On Energy 1) Implemented renewable fuels mandate of 36 billion gallons by 2022, four times what we currently consume. 2) Automakers will be required to meet a fleet-wide average of New Gas Mileage Standards at 35.5 MPH by 2016. 3) A $60 billion investment in renewable and clean energy. 4) developed a Biofuels Roadmap to determine the next steps in growing an advanced biofuels economy to meet the goal to use at least 36 billion gallons of bio-based transportation fuels by 2022 helping create more green energy jobs. 5) established EPA regulations which require large U.S. ships to cut soot emissions by 85 percent. 6) pledged via the Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future that in a decade from now to cut our oil dependency by one-third, and put America's energy future by producing more oil at home and reducing our dependence on oil by leveraging cleaner, alternative fuels and greater efficiency. On Housing 1) $275 billion dollar housing plan - $75 billion dollars to prevent at-risk mortgage debtors already fallen victim to foreclosures and $200 billion to bring about confidence to offer affordable mortgages and to stability the housing market. 2) Established "Opening Doors" to end the homelessness of 640,000 men, women, and children in the United States in 10 years. 3) Provided $510 Million for the rehabilitation of Native American housing. 4) Provided $2 billion for Neighborhood Stabilization Program to rehab, resell, or demolish in order to stabilize neighborhoods. 5) Provided $5 billion for Weatherization Assistance Program for low income families to weatherize 1 million homes per year for the next decade. 6) Provided grants to encourage states and localities to take the first steps in implementing new building codes that prioritize energy efficiency. On Medicaid/Medicare/Social Security 1) giving $250 economic stimulus check to 55 million Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients in 2009. 2) Cutting prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients by 50% and began eliminating the plan?s gap (?donut hole?) in coverage. 3) Passing as part of H.R.3962 (Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010) a $6.4 billion measurereversing a 21 percent cut in physician payments that would have started a flood of rejections by some doctors of seniors covered by Medicare. 4) Expanded eligibility for Medicaid to all individuals under age 65 with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level ($14,400 per year for an individual). 5) Committed to ensuring that Social Security Budget Will Not Be Cut nor would change the retirement age. On Military Veterans and Families 1) A $112.8 billion VA budget, an increase of 15.5 percent over 2009, the largest percentage increase for VA requested by a president in more than 30 years. 2) Implemented a strategic planto increase the hiring of Veterans and Military spouses throughout the Federal civil service. 3) Provided for the expenses of families of to be at Dover AFB when fallen soldiers arrive. 4) Passed the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009 increasing the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans. 5) Declared the end of the war in Iraqi bringing back nearly 100,000 U.S. troops home to their families. 6) Donated 250K of Nobel prize money to Fisher House, a group that helps provide housing for families of patients receiving medical care at military and Veterans Affairs medical centers 7) Ended media blackout on war casualties; giving access to the return home of a dead US soldier for the first time since an 18-year ban on coverage was lifted.
Create a 'Green Vet Initiative' to promote environmental jobs for veterans 9) Signed into law the 2009 Military Spouses Residency Relief Act, that will allow military spouses to claim residency in the same state as their sponsor and retain that residency as long as the service member is in the military, in the process avoiding the states where they currently reside from taxing their earned income. 10) Signed the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 On LBGTQ issues 1) Extended benefitsto same-sex partners of federal employees 2) Signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act 3) Instructed HHS to require any hospital receiving Medicare or Medicaid funds (virtually all hospitals) to allow LGBT visitation rights. 4) Banned job discrimination based on gender identity throughout the Federal government (the nation's largest employer) 5) Signed the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act and while more funding is needed per the 2012 proposed budget, an increase of $80 million to domestic and global HIV/AIDS programs committed 6) Extended the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover Gay employees taking unpaid leave to care for their children of same-sex partners 7) Lifted the HIV Entry Ban.
Implemented HUD Policies that Would Ban Discrimination Based On Gender Identity 9) Appointed the first ever transgender DNC member 10) Named open transgender appointees (the first President ever to do so) 11) Eliminated the discriminatory Census Bureau policy that kept LGBT relationships from being counted 12) Extended domestic violence protections to LGBT victims 13) Repealedthe Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) Discriminatory law. 14) Declared DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) unconstitutional and stopped Defending In Court 15) Endorsed a U.N. declaration calling for the worldwide decriminalization of gays and lesbians around the world in an efforts to make it a worldwide policy. Tax deal extending Bush's tax cut for two years which often gets criticized will do the following: Damn it, the TAX DEAL is not PERMANENT 1) Keep $3,000 in tax savingsannually 2) Unemployment Benefit for 7,000,000 Americans worth $56 Billion. 3) $2,500 in tax savings to help pay for college tuition and other expenses 4) A $2,000 payroll tax savings to someone making $100,000 or a $1,000 payroll tax savings at a 2% employee-side payroll tax cut for over 155 million workers 5) Child tax credit of $1,000 per child with the $3,000 maximum credit threshold. 6) Earned Income Tax Credit that will give on an average $600 in additional assistance to families with 3 or more children 7) A 65 percent tax credit to help cover the cost of COBRA for those who lost their jobs in the recession
forecast to creating approximately 1.6 million jobs increasing the GDP for 2011 9) extended the credit for adoption-related expenses that reduces families tax bill up to $13,170 in 2011 through 2012 with a maximum of $12,170 in credit. Other Notables 1) signed the Health Package For 9/11 Responders bill that puts $4.3 billion into a fund to assist folks that are suffering from problems caused by breathed-in dust and debris during the 9/11 clean up. 2) signed into law a sweeping Food Safety Act bill that contains 18 major changes to food safety laws. 3) made an excellent choice selecting a new Chief of Staff, William Daley, who Eric London has made a super case for why it was a smart choice. 4) made a $78 billion spending cut to the U.S. military and defense department budget, including reducing the size of the Army and Marine Corps. 5) signed in to law the START Treaty with Russia, a sweeping new arms reduction pact that will reduce the stockpile nuclear weapons in both countries adding new verification plan. 6) The passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act enabling the rights of workers to sue employers over wage discrimination claims. 7) The expansion of SCHIP health-care program for children worth $33 Billion.
The declaration of two million more acres of wilderness in one of the most omnibus Public Lands bill. 9) Government Transparency as noted by Common Cause, Democracy 21, League of Women Voters and U.S. PIRG-- "The cumulative effect of the Administration's actions has been to adopt the strongest and most comprehensive lobbying, ethics and transparency rules and policies ever established by an Administration to govern its own activities". You can read full report in all of the seven areas the report is graded. 10) signed the Tribal Law and Order Act -- an important step to help the Federal Government better address the unique public safety challenges that confront tribal communities. Obama New Jobs Program would help a lot so of course republicans don't want it to pass.. sick. Republicans are trying to undo the financial regulations that were passed....sick Republicans are trying to undo Health Care Reform...sick etc, etc, etc, Not accomplished in 3 years of Obama presidency 1) Did not dismiss threats of immediate attack to US as bush did which resulted in 9/11..in fact OBL is gone! 2)Has not attacked any 'wrong' countries 3) So far looks like he'll be able to travel the world at will after his terms...unlike bush who can't leave country as he would be arrested as a war criminal etc, etc.
bush had leadership experience and look where he lead the US (world) almost destroyed it
Obama's accomplishments as listed above show strong leadership. It's about results. Of course he doesn't show bravado..not his style..just quiet competence and restraint..much needed in these times.
Agreed...however -- once in a while -- it would be nice to see him get in touch with his fighting side, i.e. Bill Clinton.
Hey Audi, great to see you...long time no see
His fighting side is coming out now for the campaign. He's a long distance runner...steady then sprints for the finish.
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It?s a den of thieves! Occupy Wall Street protesters said yesterday that packs of brazen crooks within their ranks have been robbing their fellow demonstrators blind, making off with pricey cameras, phones and laptops -- and even a hefty bundle of donated cash and food. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/criminal_occupation_oh3CnKANUqYHrGPCaZaLRK
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LCH:
service_gamer:
AbbeyRoadCrosser:
The_Fool:
I think he likes Paul McCartney and his music
He gives good speeches when reading off the teleprompter. He really knows how to raise money campaigning. There aren't too many more good things that I can say at this time. I think he should be rewarded ..... we could give him a vacation until the end of his term .... that would be nice
I don't think Bush was a great pres. But there is major factor lacking in Obama that Bush had: leadership. America needs a leader and Obama hasn't been one.
I disagree. I feel that Obama has many admirable qualities that are well suited to the office, but in today's vitriolic political climate being conscientious, open-minded and professorial is perceived as being a weak leader. You seem to correlate leadership with being an uncompromising, my-way-or-the-highway dick. Unfortunately, so do a lot of people which is why Obama needs to show some fire. To me, the overwhelming majority of politicians (on both sides) would rather see the other side fail at the expense of the country rather than reach across the aisle to rally around the opposing party's president. Obama needs to embrace some of the scumbag politics that the GOP are so good at using and give them a taste of their own medicine.
Naive. Naive. Naive.
Obama has NO executive experience. He has not led a group of people of any size, let alone a nation. He is a smart man and a nice man. Neither qualities qualify him for the Presidency.
If you're gonna beat that drum, can you at least update it? Obama HAD no executive experience. Whether his detractors like it or not that can't be held against him this time, as there are only 43 other people who can speak to the type of executive experience that Obama now has, and most of them are dead. So let's put that one to rest. And your version of naivete must be different than mine. The fact of the matter is that Republicans are chiefly responsible for much of our nation's problems. That's probably going to open another can of worms, but I don't care. Obama (and Hillary for that matter) campaign on health care reform, yet conservatives act like there was never a mandate for Obamacare. They point to manipulated polling data to suggest that Americans don't like the president's signature moment (unless you think killing bin Laden has eclipsed health care reform), conveniently neglecting the fact that Obama campaigned and was elected with universal health being a key part of his platform. And while I don't believe in killing of any sort, this 'weak' and 'inexperienced' president was able to deliver bin Laden, something that his predecessor, the fearless leader, was unable to do. His only weakness is that he gives conservatives too much credit. In that respect, I'll meet you halfway in that I think Hillary Clinton would probably have been a better president thus far in that she wouldn't have taken as much crap from the other side without firing back in kind. Although, as a counterpoint to that she wouldn't have to deal with the Tea Party nonsense (oh, I forgot, they still want us to believe that they AREN'T racist...right.). I'm sort of rambling here, so I'll leave you with this. I don't want to devolve this into a name-calling match, but I wouldn't chafe so much at your 'naive' label if you didn't seemingly base your view of the president off of FOX News coverage.
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Incompetence. A tough word. A critical word. Gitmo. Still open. Why are businesses sitting on billions ? Obamacare created uncertainty in their expense accounts... Dodd Frank ? Created by the very two fools who created the mortgage crisis ! Wise up. Better yet. Grow up.
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Occupy Protester - As The World Turns - Is Also Criminally Wanted OCTOBER 19 -- A well-known ?Occupy Wall Street? protester who was arrested last Friday for kneeling down in prayer and blocking traffic in lower Manhattan is wanted in Indiana for failing to appear in court in connection with criminal charges filed after cops found him naked, intoxicated, and covered in olive oil in a public park. http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/bizarre/occupy-wall-street-wanted-man-897430