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What has Obama done?

obama putinThe 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).

  1. Ordered all federal agencies to undertake a study and make recommendations for ways to cut spending
  2. Ordered a review of all federal operations to identify and cut wasteful spending and practices
  3. Instituted enforcement for equal pay for women
  4. Beginning the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq
  5. Families of fallen soldiers have expenses covered to be on hand when the body arrives at Dover AFB
  6. Ended media blackout on war casualties; reporting full information
  7. Ended media blackout on covering the return of fallen soldiers to Dover AFB; the media is now permitted to do so pending adherence to respectful rules and approval of fallen soldier’s family
  8. The White House and federal government are respecting the Freedom of Information Act
  9. Instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible
  10. Limits on lobbyist’s access to the White House
  11. Limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration
  12. Ended the previous stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date
  13. Phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane and other outdated weapons systems, which weren’t even used or needed in Iraq/Afghanistan
  14. Removed restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research
  15. Federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research
  16. New federal funding for science and research labs
  17. States are permitted to enact federal fuel efficiency standards above federal standards
  18. Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants) after years of neglect
  19. Funds for high-speed, broadband Internet access to K-12 schools
  20. New funds for school construction
  21. The prison at Guantanamo Bay is being phased out
  22. US Auto industry rescue plan
  23. Housing rescue plan
  24. $789 billion economic stimulus plan
  25. The public can meet with federal housing insurers to refinance (the new plan can be completed in one day) a mortgage if they are having trouble paying
  26. US financial and banking rescue plan
  27. The secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere are being closed
  28. Ended the previous policy; the US now has a no torture policy and is in compliance with the Geneva Convention standards
  29. Better body armor is now being provided to our troops
  30. The missile defense program is being cut by $1.4 billion in 2010 (more…)
By |2010-01-20T13:04:06-04:00January 20th, 2010|Obama administration|Comments Off on What has Obama done?

Yes, Congress is getting some stuff done

Congress has been blamed for not stopping the war and everything else including post nasal drip.  Well, the Senate passed a bill which raised pay for our troops.  This was included in a $696 Billion Military Spending bill.

$700 Billion.  Damn that a ton of money.

———–

From WaPo:

The Senate voted Tuesday to approve a revised defense bill authorizing a 3.5 percent pay raise for troops while sidestepping a veto showdown with President Bush.

The 91-3 vote sends the $696 billion measure to Bush for his expected signature.

The president had rejected an earlier version of the bill because of a provision that would have guaranteed that victims of state-sponsored abuse can sue foreign governments in court and collect judgments by seizing its assets inside the United States. Bush said that would have exposed Iraq to high-dollar lawsuits over abuse during the Saddam Hussein era at a time when the country is struggling to rebuild its infrastructure.  (more…)

By |2008-01-22T21:15:20-04:00January 22nd, 2008|Bush Administration, Congress, Military|Comments Off on Yes, Congress is getting some stuff done
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