Obama's Record

Look you could read this condensed and partial list but don’t waste your time. Under President Obama many of the errs and mistakes made under Republican Presidents have been addressed despite no help from their party. In fact they have set up road blocks every step of the way.  The facts speak loudly, Taxes are lowest in years, and Government spending is at its lowest point in years.  The federal workforce is at its lowest in years and these goals of the Tea Party are being addressed. Why do they hate the man so much?  I have a few guesses. They are stupid, bigoted, not well informed and downright un-American.  I hate to use this language but sometimes it is called for, “STOP thinking with your ass and start using your brains.

ECONOMY

 Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants…) (2009) * Note: Bush was the first president since Herbert Hoover to not make infrastructure a priority

 Authorized the US auto industry rescue plan and two GMAC rescue packages (2009)

 Authorized the housing rescue plan and new FHA residential housing guarantees (2009)

 Authorized a $789 billion economic stimulus plan (2009) * Note: 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, etc. 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 (2009)

 Authorized the “Cash for Clunkers” program that stimulated auto sales and removed old, inefficient, polluting cars from the road (2009)

 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 the Bush-era policy of protecting credit card companies (2009) * Note: In place of the old policy, new consumer protections were instituted and the industry’s predatory practices were banned

 Authorized the federal government to make more loans available to small businesses and ordered lower rates for federal loans to small businesses (2009)

 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) * Note: 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)

 Signed bill – Single Family Housing Mortgage Insurance (2010)

TAXES

  Negotiated a deal with Swiss banks to permit the US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals (2009)

 Ended the Bush-era policy of offering tax benefits to corporations who outsource American jobs (2009) * Note: The new policy promotes in-sourcing investments to bring jobs back to the US

 Signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which provides small tax cuts for 95% of “working families” (2009) * Note: The tax cuts were not as big as was suggested during the 2008 campaign

  Convened an advisory board that is looking into simplifying the tax code (2009)

 Ordered the closing of offshore tax safe havens (for individual and business tax evaders) (2009)

 Reduced taxes for some small businesses to stimulate the economic recovery (2009)

 Extended the Home Buyers Credit for first-time home buyers (2009)

 Proposed doubling the child tax credit (2010)

 Called for the repeal of the capital gains tax for small businesses (2010)

 Proposed rolling back the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans (2010) * Note: This would be for families earning over $250,000/year and would return their tax rates to the 1990’s level

 BUDGETING

  Ordered all federal agencies to undertake a study and make recommendations for ways to cut federal spending (2009)

 Ordered a review of all federal operations to identify wasteful spending and practices (2009)

  Established a National Performance Officer charged with saving the federal government money and making federal operations more efficient (2009)

 Overturned the Bush-era practice of not listing certain federal programs in the federal budget (2009) (2010) * Note: Bush did this (so did Reagan) in an effort to hide programs and make the budget look smaller; such “off budget” items are now included in the annual budget

 Full appropriations for war are now included in the budget (2009) (2010)* Note: Bush did not list many of the appropriations for Iraq, Afghanistan, and War on Terror

 Funds for emergency appropriations are now included in the budget (2009) (2010)

 Proposed a three-year freeze on federal discretionary spending beginning in 2011 (2010)

 Is in the process of cutting 120 federal programs identified as either wasteful or unnecessary (2010)
Established a bipartisan commission on fiscal responsibility, staffed by House and Senate members and private citizens, tasked with submitting proposals to balance the budget (2010) * Note: In the face of Republican opposition, the powers of the commission were watered down
Established a bipartisan commission on the future of Social Security, tasked with submitting proposals to preserve and strengthen Social Security (2010) * Note: In the face of Republican opposition, the powers of the commission were watered down
Cut $20 billion from federal budget and has pledged to cut at least this much every year (2010)
 Ultimately decided to cancel planned new presidential helicopter fleet and stick with marine One (2010)
 Freezing all discretionary spending for next three years, except on national security (2010)
 Presidential Memoranda to freeze discretionary awards, bonuses, etc. for federal political appointees (2010)
Beginning to use “Pay-As-You-Go” (Pay-Go) to offset budget expenditures with budget cuts or revenue enhancements (2010
Credit card companies are prohibited from raising rates without advance notification or arbitrarily if customers are paying bills on time (2010)

Signed a bill to extend unemployment benefits set to expire (2010) Signed historic Wall Street reform bill (2010) * Note: Designed to reregulate and end abusive practices and promote consumer protections

 Signed the HIRE Act to stimulate the economic recovery (2010) * Note: The bill includes: 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; etc.
National Export Initiative established to enhance federal support (technical assistance, training, trade missions, etc.) and coordination efforts to help US businesses export products and services (2010)
Initiatives to promote a “Wireless Broadband Revolution” (2010) * Note: Among other things, broadband is finally being considered as necessary infrastructure, with efforts to expand use, access, and spectrum…

 Expanded agricultural credit to farmers during current economic crisis (2010)

Signed bill – US Manufacturing Enhancement Act (2010

Signed bill – Single Family Housing