Barack Obama: October 2010

President Obama Accomplishments - Fired Up!

President Obama has done more for America in one year than Republicans have done in 25 years. A few highlights:

1. Saved the nation from another great depression.
2. Passed equal pay for women + cut middle-class taxes
3. Expanded State Children's Health Insurance Fund (SCHIP)
4. Passed new benefits package for veterans.
5. Passed new credit card bill of rights
6. Expanded loan programs for small businesses.
7. Direct military leaders to end war in Iraq
8. Sent brigades to Afghanistan to actually bring the war to a close
9. Made greater investment in advanced military air technology.
10. U.S. military aid to Pakistan conditional on anti-terror efforts
11. Created a real National Infrastructure Protection Plan
12. Appointed a White House Coordinator for Nuclear Security
13. Granted Americans rights to visit family + send money to Cuba
14. Released presidential records
15. Provided affordable, high-quality child care
16. Converting manufacturing centers into clean technology leaders
17. Rebuilt schools in New Orleans
18. Weatherized 1 million homes per year
19. Invested in new alternative energy sources
20. Major investments in high speed rail.
21. Saved GM and Chrysler.
22. Saved the banks.
23. Creating jobs
24. Brought the stock market back from 6500, to 11,000.
25. Passed financial reform.
26. Passed healthcare reform
27. Appointed first Latina Judge
28. Repealing DADT
29. Got 20 billion from BP
30. Passed Teacher's bill
31. Ended TARP.
32. Passes Small Business Jobs bill. (see more below)

ETHICS
• Ordered White House, federal agencies to respect Freedom of Information Act; overturned Bush limit federal document access
• Instructed federal agencies to promote openness, transparency
• Placed limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House (2009)
• Limit White House aides working for lobbyists after tenure
• Signed measure strengthening reporting of lobbyists
• Ordered lobbyists must be removed from, are no longer permitted to serve on federal White House advisory panel boards (2009)
• Companies-individuals delinquent on taxes or owe back taxes are no longer allowed to bid for federal contracts (2009)
• Initiated the “e-Rulemaking Initiative” (in cooperation with Cornell University) to allow for online public “notice and comment” of federal laws and initiatives (2010)
• Issued the “Open Gov Directive” ordering all Cabinet departments to promote transparency and citizen participation in their policies
• Banned lobbyists from serving on agency boards
• Developed 'Do Not Pay List' on contractors/recipients of federal funds deemed ineligible because of fraud, abuse (see more below)

Fired Up! Ready to Go! ¡Sí, Se Puede! Yes We Can!

ECONOMY
• Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants…) (2009) - Bush was the first president since Herbert Hoover to not make infrastructure a priority
• Authorized US auto industry rescue plan, GMAC rescue packages
• Authorized housing rescue plan, FHA residential guarantees
• Authorized $789 billion economic stimulus plan - 1/3 in tax cuts for working-class families; 1/3 to states for infrastructure projects; 1/3 to states to prevent the layoff of police officers, teachers at risk of losing their jobs because of state budget shortfalls
• Instituted a new rule allowing the public to meet with federal housing insurers to refinance (in as quickly as one day) a mortgage if they are having trouble paying (2009)
• Authorized a continuation of the US financial and banking rescue plans initiated at the end of the Bush administration and authorized TARP funds to buy “toxic assets” from failing financial institutions
• Authorized the “Cash for Clunkers” program that stimulated auto sales and removed old, inefficient, polluting cars from the road
• Convened a “jobs summit” to bring experts together to develop ideas for creating jobs (2009)
• Ordered the FDIC to beef up deposit insurance (2009)
• Ended Bush-era policy of protecting credit card companies; In place of the old policy, new consumer protections were instituted; industry predatory practices were banned
• Authorized federal government to make more loans available to small business, ordered lower rates for federal loans to small business
• Placed a 35% tariff on Chinese tires and a few other products such as pipes after China was found to be illegally “dumping” exports below cost (2009) - Clinton, Bush I, and Reagan all refused to “get tough” on China’s predatory trade practices; Bush II refused four times during his presidency
• In November 2009, Obama extended unemployment benefits for one million workers and expanded coverage for some existing homeowners who are buying again (2009)
• Called on Congress to deliver a “Jobs bill” (2010)
• Credit card companies are prohibited from arbitrarily raising rates without advance notification if customers are paying bills on time
• Signed a bill to extend unemployment benefits set to expire (2010)
• Signed historic Wall Street reform bill designed to reregulate, end abusive practices, promote consumer protections
• Signed the HIRE Act to stimulate the economic recovery, tax cuts for small businesses who hire someone unemployed for at least two months; small businesses can write off their investments in equipment this year
• National Export Initiative established to enhance federal support (technical assistance, training, trade missions) coordinate efforts to help US businesses export products and services
• Initiatives to promote 'Wireless Broadband Revolution' - broadband finally being considered necessary infrastructure, efforts to expand use, access, spectrum
• Expanded agricultural credit to farmers during economic crisis
• Signed bill – US Manufacturing Enhancement Act (2010)
• Signed bill – Single Family Housing Mortgage Insurance (2010)