So, what all has Obama done since he entered office?
I’m sick and tired of people asking “What has Obama done?” So here’s a list of things he’s done since he’s been in office. Remember: He was elected President. He wasn’t elected Jesus! The list is still growing. Let me know if I missed anything.
1. Saved the collapse of the American automotive industry by making GM restructure before bailing them out, and putting incentive money to help the industry
2. Shifted the focus of the war from Iraq to Afghanistan, and putting the emphasis on reducing terrorism where it should have been all along
3. Relaxed Anti-American tensions throughout the world
4. Signed order to close the prisoner “torture camp” at Guantanamo Bay
5. Has made the environment a national priority, and a primary source for job creation
6. Has made education a national priority by putting emphasis and money behind new ideas like charter schools, but speaking directly to school children in telling them they have to do their part.
7. Won the Nobel Peace Prize
8. $789 billion economic stimulus plan
9. Appointment of first Latina to the Supreme Court
10. Attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles
11. Authorized construction/opening of additional health centers to care for veterans
12. 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.
13. Better body armor is now being provided to our troops
14. “Cash for clunkers” program offers vouchers to trade in fuel inefficient, polluting old cars for new cars; stimulates auto sales
15. Changed the failing/status quo military command in Afghanistan
16. Closed offshore tax safe havens
17. Deployed additional troops to Afghanistan
18. Ended media “blackout” on war casualties; reporting full information
19. Ended previous policy of awarding no-bid defense contracts
20. Ended previous policy of cutting the FDA and circumventing FDA rules
21. Ended previous practice of forbidding Medicare from negotiating with drug manufacturers for cheaper drugs; the federal government is now realizing hundreds of millions in savings
22. Ended previous practice of having White House aides rewrite scientific and environmental rules, regulations, and reports
23. Ended previous policy of not regulating and labeling carbon dioxide emissions
24. Ended previous policy of offering tax benefits to corporations who outsource American jobs; the new policy is to promote in-sourcing to bring jobs back
25. Ended previous policy on torture; the US now has a no torture policy and is in compliance with the Geneva Convention standards
26. Ended previous practice of protecting credit card companies; in place of it are new consumer protections from credit card industry’s predatory practices
27. Ended previous “stop-loss” policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date
28. Energy producing plants must begin preparing to produce 15% of their energy from renewable sources
29. Established a National Performance Officer charged with saving the federal government money and making federal operations more efficient
30. Established a new cyber security office
31. Expanded the SCHIP program to cover health care for 4 million more children
32. Expanding vaccination programs
33. Families of fallen soldiers have expenses
34. Federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research
35. Funds for high-speed, broadband Internet access to K-12 schools
36. Immediate and efficient response to the floods in North Dakota and other natural disasters
37. Improved housing for military personnel
38. Improved conditions at Walter Reed Military Hospital and other military hospitals
39. Improving benefits for veterans
40. Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants…) after years of neglect
41. Increasing opportunities in AmeriCorps program
42. Increasing pay and benefits for military personnel
43. Increasing student loans
44. Instituted a new policy on Cuba, allowing Cuban families to return “home” to visit loved ones
45. Limited salaries of senior White House aides; cut to $100,000
46. Limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House
47. Limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration
48. Lower drug costs for seniors
49. Making more loans available to small businesses
50. Many more press conferences and town halls and much more media access than previous administration
51. Negotiated deal with Swiss banks to permit US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals
52. New Afghan War policy that limits aerial bombing and prioritizes aid, development of infrastructure, diplomacy, and good government practices by Afghans
53.New federal funding for science and research labs
54.New funds for school construction
55.Ordered all federal agencies to undertake a study and make recommendations for ways to cut spending
56.Ordered a review of all federal operations to identify and cut wasteful spending and practices
57.Phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane and other outdated weapons systems, which weren’t even used or needed in Iraq/Afghanistan
58. Reengaged in the agreements/talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions
59. Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic
60. Removed restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research
61. Renewed loan guarantees for Israel
62. Restarted the nuclear non-proliferation talks and building back up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols
63. Returned money authorized for refurbishment of White House offices and private living quarters.
64.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
65.Signed national service legislation; expanded national youth service program
66.States are permitted to enact federal fuel efficiency standards above federal standards
67.Students struggling to make college loan payments can have their loans refinanced
68.Successful release of US captain held by Somali pirates; authorized the SEALS to do their job
69.The FDA is now regulating tobacco
70.The missile defense program is being cut by $1.4 billion in 2010
71.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
72.The “secret detention” facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere are being closed
73.US financial and banking rescue plan
74.US Navy increasing patrols off Somali coast
75.Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any president in his first six months in office
76.Improved relations with Iran
77.Improved U.S. policy on climate change
78.Set timetable for exiting Iraq (already started removing troops)
79.Improved relations with Russia
80.Improved relations with the Islamic World
81.Made progress towards grater cooperation on limiting nuclear proliferation
82.Economic stimulus plan has created jobs. (Unemployment rate decreasing)
83.Drastically slowed down the recession
84.Saved Wall Street
85.Passed the Lilly Ledbetter Act (equal work for equal pay)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilly_Ledbetter_Fair_Pay_Act_of_2009
86.HEALTHCARE REFORM
Once again, this is a lot to accomplish in such a short amount of time. He was elected President, he wasn’t elected Jesus.
BS, or to make a long story short….”Ruining America & pissin’ me off”
Great list. Thanks.
Lied to everyone from day one and he continues to still do it.
And how much expansion of government was required to do all this. You seem to buy into the “headline” and all the positive things they’d like to say were “accomplished” by these things, but what did it cost? Who did it hurt? Who’s jobs were replaced? What power was lost or gained? Is there more oversight or less? Seriously. Every one of these things you listed have a negative impact as well.
87. Denied numerous offers from other countries to help with the oil spill, resulting in the gulf coast of America being devastated by the oil, which could have been mostly collected by other countries’ vessels before it hit close to the shore.
I agree with you. Those are a lot of accomplishments with a completely insubordinate opposing party, and a strong anti-incumbency attitude around the country; especially for a President that has been in office for 1.5 years.
The forces that dragged down the economy in 2007, were comparable to the forces that dragged the economy down in the late 1920s. It definitely will take a few more years for the economy of the US of A to get back on track. Even if God were President right now, we still wouldn’t be fully back on track. (I am not sure if you included appointing members to the Export Council, with the goal of doubling exports in the next few years.)
Good list but I’m sure there is more stuff from behind the scenes that we don’t know about. The one thing you didn’t mention is the 4 tier extension of unemployment benefits with a $25 per week added on to each check. This to me is an enormous help to the folks that lost their jobs. It might not be a lot but it sure kept me afloat while looking for new employment. It is amazing when I hear folks complaining that the unemployed are lazy & are just leaning on the weekly checks. That’s crap to me. I know of many people that busted their bums searching for work including myself without success. Mr Obama didn’t put us in this mess. It’s been coming for a long time & then too the greedy rip off artist like Berny Merdoff & others that stole our money are directly responsible for most of it, not to mention the previous administration. Not Mr Obama. Like you said he is not Jesus. I’d like to hear how anyone else would handle the problems that are being thrown at him currently. Everyone likes to throw stones but I don’t hear any positive solutions. I say if anyone can do a better job run for public office. Thanks again for the list. We forget sometimes how difficult it is to hold the most powerful office in the world. Simply my opinion. ciao–
you forgot played a lot of golf( 29 games in one year) hosted 15 parties at the white house at tax payer expense, lied to the American people, made the majority of voters ticked off, racked up a lot more in the deficit than Georgie boy ever thought of, helped in the delay of the oil spill in the gulf( now we will no longer have a gulf as we once knew it),kissed alot of foreign behind,drank beer in the garden at the white house,started a law suit with Arizona because Arizona wants to enforce federal law and he doesn’t because he will need those illegal votes come 2012, used the race card on more than one occassion when things didn’t go his way and used intimidation to get the health care reform bill passed. The list could go on and on but the only thing I can personally say is I didn’t vote for him before and I won’t vote for him in 2012.I think as a human being he is a creep.