What has Obama done?
The MSM has painted Obama as a thoughtful man. The right wing has used this image to their advantage by saying that Obama has done nothing. The president is sitting around and meeting with advisors and getting nothing done. I call BS.
From DK:
As such, there is a need to set the record straight. What most impresses me is the fact that Obama has accomplished so much not from a heavy-handed or top-down approach but from a style that has institutionalized efforts to reach across the aisle, encourage vigorous debate, and utilize town halls and panels of experts in the policy-making process. Beyond the accomplishments, the process is good for democracy and our democratic processes have been battered and bruised in recent years.
Let me know if I missed anything in the list (surely I did).
- Ordered all federal agencies to undertake a study and make recommendations for ways to cut spending
- Ordered a review of all federal operations to identify and cut wasteful spending and practices
- Instituted enforcement for equal pay for women
- Beginning the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq
- Families of fallen soldiers have expenses covered to be on hand when the body arrives at Dover AFB
- Ended media blackout on war casualties; reporting full information
- Ended media blackout on covering the return of fallen soldiers to Dover AFB; the media is now permitted to do so pending adherence to respectful rules and approval of fallen soldier’s family
- The White House and federal government are respecting the Freedom of Information Act
- Instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible
- Limits on lobbyist’s access to the White House
- Limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration
- Ended the previous stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date
- Phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane and other outdated weapons systems, which weren’t even used or needed in Iraq/Afghanistan
- Removed restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research
- Federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research
- New federal funding for science and research labs
- States are permitted to enact federal fuel efficiency standards above federal standards
- Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants) after years of neglect
- Funds for high-speed, broadband Internet access to K-12 schools
- New funds for school construction
- The prison at Guantanamo Bay is being phased out
- US Auto industry rescue plan
- Housing rescue plan
- $789 billion economic stimulus plan
- 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
- US financial and banking rescue plan
- The secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere are being closed
- Ended the previous policy; the US now has a no torture policy and is in compliance with the Geneva Convention standards
- Better body armor is now being provided to our troops
- The missile defense program is being cut by $1.4 billion in 2010 (more…)