Special Alert: Open Season on Wyoming's Wolves

 

Howdy You All,  We are deeply disturbed and disappointed by today's announcement from the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service about Wyoming's wolves. Please read the details and stay tuned for further updates.   Sincerely, National Wolfwatcher Coalition   In This Issue Wyoming Wolf Plan Approved Special News Bulletin It's Open Season on Wyoming's Wolves...     Today, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the Wyoming population of gray wolves is recovered and no longer warrants protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Beginning September 30th, wolves in Wyoming will be managed by the state under the approved management plan, as they are in the states of Idaho and Montana. The approved plan is virtually the same exact plan that was previously rejected by USFWS in past.   USFWS has stated on more than one occasion that a cut in federal wolf management funding comes along with taking wolves off the Endangered Species List. We agree, it is lack of funding and special interest pressure that pushed USFWS to approve the Wyoming wolf plan - certainly not science.     More than 60 percent of Wyoming's wolves outside of Yellowstone National Park -- including pups -- could be wiped out within a year. Wolves that wander beyond the invisible border of Yellowstone National Park could be shot dead.   Photo courtesy of Wolfwatcher's Yellowstone Adviser Brandi Nichols  Overall, we assert that the plan recklessly removes protections for gray wolves in a manner that can potentially unravel the scientific recovery of wolves across the entire region; it allows wolf hunting in important wildlife corridors which endangers wolves' connectivity with neighboring wolves in Idaho, and thus, will negatively impact their biological diversity. The plan affords no protection to wolves in almost 90% of the state; it allows two-thirds of Wyoming's wolves to be shot on sight, trapped, aerial gunned, gassed, or even chased to exhaustion and exterminated by anyone, at any time, for any reason without a hunting license. Independent scientists say that 2,000 to 3,000 wolves are needed for a sustainable, fully recovered population. We believe that with USFWS approval today comes certain devastation to wild wolves in the entire region.   Once described by the American Society of Mammalogists as "the most destructive organized agency that has ever menaced so many species of our native fauna,"   let's not forget that USFWS was formerly the U.S. Bureau of Biological Survey which played a large role in the extirpation of wolves from the lower 48 states. While they may not be directly involved with killing wolves today, it seems the agency seeks to pass this legacy on to the state agencies that will. USFWS's Mission Statement states, "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's mission is working with others, to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people."   How does this apply to the bloodbath that will certainly take place in Wyoming in coming months?   Those of us who want to see true recovery are the majority, so who are these American people they are talking about?   Wolfwatcher wholeheartedly endorses and supports the swift and powerful actions of fellow conservation organizations that have announced plans to legally challenge this decision in court.   We will be providing you with information about these efforts, and we strongly encourage you to support them, as well. We will also continue to monitor these and other developments to keep you better informed.   Thank you.

Earth Picture

The Earth and Hurricane Isaac on the evening of 8-28-2012:

 

 

"Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral." -Paolo Friere-

Medicare- Facts and Fiction!

Republican attacks on President Obama's plans for Medicare are growing more heated and inaccurate by the day. Both Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan made statements last week implying that the Affordable Care Act would eviscerate Medicare when in fact the law should shore up the program's finances.

Both men have also twisted themselves into knots to distance themselves from previous positions, so that voters can no longer believe anything they say. Last week, both insisted that they would save Medicare by pumping a huge amount of money into the program, a bizarre turnaround for supposed fiscal conservatives out to rein in federal spending. The likelihood that they would stand by that irresponsible pledge after the election is close to zero. And the likelihood that they would be better able than Democrats to preserve Medicare for the future (through a risky voucher system that may not work well for many beneficiaries) is not much better. THE ALLEGED "RAID ON MEDICARE" A Republican attack ad says that the reform law has "cut" $716 billion from Medicare, with the money used to expand coverage to low-income people who are currently uninsured. "So now the money you paid for your guaranteed health care is going to a massive new government program that's not for you," the ad warns.

What the Republicans fail to say is that the budget resolutions crafted by Paul Ryan and approved by the Republican-controlled House retained virtually the same cut in Medicare.

In reality, the $716 billion is not a "cut" in benefits but rather the savings in costs that the Congressional Budget Office projects over the next decade from wholly reasonable provisions in the reform law.

One big chunk of money will be saved by reducing unjustifiably high subsidies to private Medicare Advantage plans that enroll many beneficiaries at a higher average cost than traditional Medicare. Another will come from reducing the annual increases in federal reimbursements to health care providers — like hospitals, nursing homes and home health agencies — to force the notoriously inefficient system to find ways to improve productivity.

And a further chunk will come from fees or taxes imposed on drug makers, device makers and insurers — fees that they can surely afford since expanded coverage for the uninsured will increase their markets and their revenues.

NO HARM TO SENIORS The Republicans imply that the $716 billion in cuts will harm older Americans, but almost none of the savings come from reducing the benefits available for people already on Medicare. But if Mr. Romney and Mr. Ryan were able to repeal the reform law, as they have pledged to do, that would drive up costs for many seniors — namely those with high prescription drug costs, who are already receiving subsidies under the reform law, and those who are receiving preventive services, like colonoscopies, mammograms and immunizations, with no cost sharing.

Mr. Romney argued on Friday that the $716 billion in cuts will harm beneficiaries because those who get discounts or extra benefits in the heavily subsidized Medicare Advantage plans will lose them and because reduced payments to hospitals and other providers could cause some providers to stop accepting Medicare patients.

If he thinks that will be a major problem, Mr. Romney should leave the reform law in place: it has many provisions designed to make the delivery of health care more efficient and cheaper, so that hospitals and others will be better able to survive on smaller payments.

NO BANKRUPTCY LOOMING The Republicans also argue that the reform law will weaken Medicare and that by preventing the cuts and ultimately turning to vouchers they will enhance the program's solvency. But Medicare is not in danger of going "bankrupt"; the issue is whether the trust fund that pays hospital bills will run out of money in 2024, as now projected, and require the program to live on the annual payroll tax revenues it receives.

The Affordable Care Act helped push back the insolvency date by eight years, so repealing the act would actually bring the trust fund closer to insolvency, perhaps in 2016.

DEFICIT REDUCTION Mr. Romney and Mr. Ryan said last week that they would restore the entire $716 billion in cuts by repealing the law. The Congressional Budget Office concluded that repealing the law would raise the deficit by $109 billion over 10 years.

The Republicans gave no clue about how they would pay for restoring the Medicare cuts without increasing the deficit. It is hard to believe that, if faced with the necessity of fashioning a realistic budget, keeping Medicare spending high would be a top priority with a Romney-Ryan administration that also wants to spend very large sums on the military and on tax cuts for wealthy Americans.

Regardless of who wins the election, Medicare spending has to be reined in lest it squeeze out other priorities, like education. It is utterly irresponsible for the Republicans to promise not to trim Medicare spending in their desperate bid for votes.

THE DANGER IN MEDICARE VOUCHERS The reform law would help working-age people on modest incomes buy private policies with government subsidies on new insurance exchanges, starting in 2014. Federal oversight will ensure a reasonably comprehensive benefit package, and competition among the insurers could help keep costs down.

But it is one thing to provide these "premium support" subsidies for uninsured people who cannot get affordable coverage in the costly, dysfunctional markets that serve individuals and their families. It is quite another thing to use a similar strategy for older Americans who have generous coverage through Medicare and who might well end up worse off if their vouchers failed to keep pace with the cost of decent coverage.

Mr. Romney and Mr. Ryan would allow beneficiaries to use vouchers to buy a version of traditional Medicare instead of a private plan, but it seems likely that the Medicare plan would attract the sickest patients, driving up Medicare premiums so that they would be unaffordable for many who wanted traditional coverage. Before disrupting the current Medicare program, it would be wise to see how well premium support worked in the new exchanges.

THE CHOICE This will be an election about big problems, and it will provide a clear choice between contrasting approaches to solve them. In the Medicare arena, the choice is between a Democratic approach that wants to retain Medicare as a guaranteed set of benefits with the government paying its share of the costs even if costs rise, and a Republican approach that wants to limit the government's spending to a defined level, relying on untested market forces to drive down insurance costs.

The reform law is starting pilot programs to test ways to reduce Medicare costs without cutting benefits. Many health care experts have identified additional ways to shave hundreds of billions of dollars from projected spending over the next decade without harming beneficiaries.

It is much less likely that the Republicans, who have long wanted to privatize Medicare, can achieve these goals.

A version of this editorial appeared in print on August 19, 2012, on page SR10 of the National edition with the headline: Truth and Lies About Medicare.

This is what we do know about what Republicans intend overall:

Romney/Ryan budget:
- would not balance federal budget for 28 or more years
- would revoke tax breaks such as mortgage-interest deductions, and others

Romney/Ryan Medicare:
- would require seniors accept fixed payments
- would require citizens at age 55 choose vouchers, private insurance, or Medicare
- vouchers would not necessarily cover Medicare
- would raise qualifying ate to 67 by 2034
- would cap spending at $7,400 per person
- would require average senior pay $1,200 to $2,400 a year

Romney/Ryan tax policy:
- would keep Bush tax cuts
- would ADD $4.5 trillion in cuts through 2022
- would replace six-tax-rates with two: 10% and 25%
- would eliminate alternative minimum tax
- would cut corporate taxes
- would repeal tax breaks for low-income families with children
- would increase taxes for bottom 1/5 of households
- would increase taxes average $1,000 for households earning $10,000 to $20,000
- would cut taxes $265,000 over 10 years for those making $1 million and more a year
- would lower or eliminate tax on capital gains, interest and dividends, etc.

Romney/Ryan Medicaid
- would cut aid for poor, disabled, and health care for children
- would transfer remaining funding to states as block grants
- would repeal expansion of aid in current law
- would repeal Affordable Care legislation

Romney even suggested vouchers to replace VA care.

Nothing isn't expendable with the Republicans!

Best wishes always,
Bill Harasym

"Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral." -Paolo Friere-

Why Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis:R-WY wants 2 KILL Medicare

Why does Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) want to KILL Medicare along with all the Republicans in Congress? Think of the influx of new cash to healthcare companies through premiums and government vouchers. Pure GOLD!
Visit me at http://www.harasymforcongress.us/
Memo to Republicans: snap out of it! Americans love Medicare and there is nothing you're going to do to change that. When you seriously start talking about defense spending cuts, then we'll do the Medicare negotiations. And Social Security is off the table for one important reason, it is not responsible for our debt, but Congress is, so maybe the time in Congress should end? Yep, we think so!

Obama Administration’s Achievements (Thus Far)!

 

 

Click any category or: Expand | Collapse All Items

Arts and Culture  

1. Increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to the highest level since 1992. ref, ref, ref
2. Created an artist corps for public schools. ref
3. Championed the importance of arts education. ref
4. Promoted cultural diplomacy. ref

Banking and Financial Reform  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Established the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. ref
3. Established President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability to assist in financial education for all Americans. ref, ref , ref
4. Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010. ref, ref
5. Dodd-Frank (DF) Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the biggest financial reform law since the Great Depression. ref
6. Managed the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) ref
7. Assigned a Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program Act of 2009. ref
8. Pension relief Act of 2010. ref
9. Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act. ref, ref
10. Played a lead role in G-20 Summit re: financial crisis. ref
11. Reformed deferral rules to curb tax advantages for investing overseas. ref
12. Established new offshore investment policy that promotes in-sourcing. ref, ref
13. FUNDING:
14. Cut salaries for 65 bailout executives (Pay Czar). ref
15. Banks have repaid 75% of TARP funds, bringing the cost down to $89B as of June 2010. ref
16. Closed offshore tax safe havens, tax credit loopholes. ref , ref , ref
17. TARGETED ACTIONS:
18. Created the Financial Stability Oversight Council to monitor stability of the financial system and individual firms (DF). ref
19. New requirements for reporting financial data (DF). ref
20. Created self-funded Office of Financial Research (OFR) to collect information from financial firms (DF). ref
21. OFR employees must wait a year before working for certain financial firms. ref
22. Provided for orderly liquidation of financial companies (DF). ref
23. Limited trading activities of banks (Volcker Rule) beginning 2 yrs after passage (DF). ref
24. Swaps Pushout Rule prevented federal assistance to swaps (including derivatives) traders (DF). ref
25. Derivatives must be traded transparently through a clearing house (DF). ref
26. Defined the amount and nature of assets required to meet capital requirements (DF). ref
27. Originators of asset-backed securities must retain 5% ownership/risk (DF). ref
28. Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (DF). ref
29. Stronger client fiduciary duty for broker-dealers (DF). ref
30. Higher standards for securities advertising and disclosures (DF). ref
31. Expanded “insider loans” (DF). ref
32. Higher standards for sytemically important ($50 billion assets+) institutions, including annual stress tests and restrictions on bank acquisitions (DF). ref
33. Executive compensation must be determined by an independent committee (DF). ref
34. Issued compensation guidelines for bank executive salary and bonuses. ref , ref
35. Financial agencies must establish Offices of Women and Minorities to promote more diverse hiring (DF). ref
36. Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act. ref, ref
37. Credit CARD Technical Corrections Act of 2009. ref
38. Established a credit card bill of rights. ref
39. Reformed credit card swipe fees. ref
40. Created new criminal penalties for mortgage fraud. ref
41. Congress pursued Goldman Sachs for securities violations. ref
42. Permanently extended Research and Experimentation Tax Credit for domestic investments. ref
43. RESULTS:
44. (Treasury) Sold 1.5 billion shares of Citigroup at a profit. ref
45. G-20 summit produced a $1.1 trillion deal to combat the global financial crisis. ref
46. Negotiated deal with Swiss banks to permit US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals. ref
47. Financial reform has ‘strongest consumer financial protections in history.’ ref
48. Section curator:

Civil Rights  

1. FUNDING:
2. Provided $12.2 billion in new funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Act though the American Recovery and investment Act. ref
3. TARGETED ACTIONS:
4. Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act; Instituted equal pay for women. ref, ref, ref
5. Presidential Memorandum extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. ref , ref , ref , ref
6. Presidential Memorandum protecting gay and lesbian partners’ visitation/healthcare decision-making rights (4/15/2010). ref
7. Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act to include gender, sexual orientation and disability. ref
8. Supported the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT). ref
9. Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act. ref
10. Established White House Council on Women and Girls (Executive Order 13506 ). ref
11. Financial agencies must establish Offices of Women and Minorities to promote more diverse hiring.
12. Increased minority access to capital. ref
13. Pushing through settlement in the black farmers lawsuit against USDA. ref, ref
14. Signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. ref
15. Increased Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities (Exec Order)(celebrating 20th anniversary of the ADA). ref, ref
16. Section curator: ^roytoric

Commerce, Trade and technology  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Promoted internet freedom as part of U.S. foreign policy. ref, ref , ref
3. Webcaster Settlement Act of 2009. ref
4. Satellite Television Extension Act of 2010. ref
5. FUNDING:
6. Expanded loan programs for small businesses. ref
7. TARGETED ACTION:
8. Small Business Act. ref
9. Small Business Investment Act. ref
10. Proposed tougher meat industry antitrust rules. ref , ref
11. Denied federal contracts to tax delinquents. ref
12. Appointed the nation’s first Chief Technology Officer. ref
13. Established Federal IT Dashboard. ref
14. Modernized the USA.gov portal to connect people to the services they require. ref
15. Launched the National Export Initiative, with the goal of doubling US exports by 2015. ref , ref
16. Provided National Export Initiative/Progress report and named President’s Export Council. ref, ref
17. Launched piracy crackdown. ref
18. Section curators:

Conservation  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Amendments Act of 2009. ref
3. Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. ref
4. North American Wetlands Conservation Act. ref
5. Stewardship of the Ocean (established National Ocean Council ), our Coasts and the Great Lakes (Executive Order). ref
6. Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance (Executive Order). ref, ref
7. Established partnerships to share environmental technology with other countries. ref
8. FUNDING:
9. Increased funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. ref
10. Increased funding for national parks and forests. ref
11. $175 million of ARRA allocated for water conservation, $135 million of that in the West. ref
12. TARGETED AREAS:
13. Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic. ref, ref
14. Expanded access to places to hunt and fish. ref
15. Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration (Executive Order). ref, ref
16. Led effort to phase out whaling. ref
17. Pursued a wildfire management plan. ref
18. Encouraged more controlled burns to reduce wildfires. ref
19. Ordered removal of more brush, small trees and vegetation that fuel wildfires. ref
20. Section curator: ^pash

Economy  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA): a $789 billion economic stimulus plan. ref
3. US auto industry rescue plan. ref, ref
4. Start-Up activity now higher than it was during the dotcom boom. ref
5. Created task force to fight deficit. ref
6. Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009. ref
7. Temporary extension of programs under the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958. ref
8. FUNDING:
9. Increased minority access to capital. ref
10. $26 billion aid to states package (Aug 2010). ref
11. TARGETED ACTIONS:
12. Raised the small business investment limit to $250,000 through the end of 2009. ref
13. Created an Advanced Manufacturing Fund to invest in peer-reviewed manufacturing processes. ref
14. Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act – establishes a Federal “Do Not Pay” list. ref
15. Extended and indexed the 2007 Alternative Minimum Tax patch. ref
16. Adopted Economic Substance tax doctrine. ref
17. Extended unemployment insurance benefits and temporarily suspend taxes on these benefits. ref ref
18. Economy grew 5.9% in 4th quarter. ref
19. U.S. Economy: Manufacturing grew by most since 2004. ref
20. U.S. GDP up 3.2% in first quarter. ref
21. Consumer spending showed biggest rise in 3 years. ref
22. Orders for most durable goods rose. ref
23. Wholesale inventories and sales rose in March. ref
24. $26 billion state aid bill triggered a surge of private municipal investment. ref
25. EXHIBITS – THE STIMULUS ONE YEAR LATER:
26. Success of the stimulus–how do you illustrate ‘could have been worse’? ref
27. Distribution of ARRA funds by year. ref
28. Need for financial education: Investors who act on their own do worse than T-bills; market timers earn negative returns. ref
29. Consumer debt patterns (revolving and non-revolving) through end of 2009. ref
30. Growth of the national debt from 2000-2009. ref
31. Bar chart showing increases in national debt by President (since Carter). ref
32. Pie chart: 2009 annual deficit contrasting large Bush tax cuts and relatively small ARRA. ref
33. THE LEGACY: AUGUST 2010
34. The Economy Has Been Growing – seasonally adjusted change in GDP by quarter 2007-2010. ref
35. The Private Sector Has Begun to Add Jobs – Monthly change in nonfarm employment 2008-2010. ref
36. GDP would have been lower without the Recovery Act (2007-2013 projection) (scroll down to Part III to see chart). ref
37. Unemployment would have been higher without ARRA (2008-2010). ref
38. The gap between actual and full-employment GDP would have been much larger without TARP and ARRA (2008-2010). ref
39. MISCELLANEOUS EXHIBITS:
40. Public Sector Lost 316,000 jobs October 09-July 10 (state aid negotiated out of ARRA by GOP). ref
41. Section curator ^roytoric

Education: College  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Enacted largest reform of student aid in 40 years. ref, ref
3. Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010. ref
4. Established President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability to assist in financial education for all Americans. ref, ref, ref
5. FUNDING:
6. Increased funding for land-grant college. ref
7. Provided means for students struggling to make college loan payments to refinance. ref
8. TARGETED ACTIONS:
9. Expanded Pell grants for low-income students. ref
10. Expanded Pell grant pool by eliminating private lender subsidies for student loans. ref
11. Section curators: ^ejoyce ^Kroth

Education: Health of Children  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Created the Race to the Top Fund ($4.35 billion) to reward States that create comprehensive education reform plans. ref
3. Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 . ref
4. FUNDING:
5. Provided funding for high-speed, broadband Internet access to K-12 schools. ref
6. Established State Equalization Fund; new funds for school construction (ARRA). ref
7. Provided $77 Billion for reforms to to strengthen Elementary and Secondary education. ref
8. Fully funded the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). ref
9. Provided $12.2 billion in new funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Act through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. ref
10. $26 billion state aid package saved 160,000 teacher jobs (Aug 2010) ref
11. Provided over $2.3 billion in additional funding to Head Start and Early Head Start programs in 2009. ref
12. Provided $5 billion dollars for Early Learning Programs under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. ref
13. Roughly doubled the amount available in Federal Child Care Block Grants. ref
14. Established “Promise Neighborhood” Grants (modeled after the Harlem Children’s Zone). ref , ref
15. Eliminated abstinence-only funding in budget. ref, ref
16. TARGETED ACTIONS:
17. Helped rebuild schools in New Orleans. ref
18. Established school programs to highlight space and science achievements. ref
19. Recruited math and science degree graduates to the teaching profession. ref
20. Expanded the Nurse-Family Partnership to all low-income, first-time mothers . ref
21. Provided affordable, high-quality child care. ref
22. Unveiled initiatives to help men be better fathers. ref
23. Section curators: ^ejoyce ^Kroth

Employment: Jobs  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Jobs for Main Street Act (2010). ref
3. American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010. ref
4. National Export Initiative ref
5. FUNDING:
6. (DOL) Dedicated $100 million in Energy Training Partnership green jobs training grants. ref
7. (DOL) Dedicated $150 million for Pathways Out of Poverty green jobs training grants. ref
8. $33 billion-dollar jobs package (March 2010). ref , ref
9. $26 billion aid to states package (Aug 2010). ref
10. $5,000 tax credit for every new worker. ref
11. New Health IT Workforce Grants (ARRA). ref
12. TARGETED ACTIONS:
13. Job training programs in clean technologies for displaced workers. ref
14. Green Vet Initiative to promote environmental jobs for veterans. ref
15. Financial agencies must establish Offices of Women and Minorities to promote more diverse hiring (DF).
16. Recruited math and science degree graduates to the teaching profession. ref
17. Initiated a new policy to promote federal hiring of military spouses. ref, ref
18. Required new hires to sign a form affirming their hiring was not due to political affiliations or contributions. ref, ref
19. RESULTS:
20. CBO found 3.7 Million jobs created by stimulus (May 2010). ref
21. Job loss exploded under Bush, improves under Obama. ref
22. 682,370 jobs created under the Recovery Act Between January 1 — March 31,2010. ref, ref, ref
23. New jobless claims tumble. ref
24. March payrolls surge by 162,000 US says . ref
25. March jobs data showed biggest growth in three years .ref
26. U.S. economy added 90000 jobs in April . ref
27. Jobless rates dropped in 34 states and DC (AP). ref
28. Section curator: ^roytoric

Energy: Green  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Established an Energy Partnership for the Americas. ref
3. Established the Biofuels Working Group to develop a comprehensive approach to alternative fuels. ref
4. Additional measures to advance clean energy/solar investments and job creation (ARRA). ref
5. Launched new Climate Service. ref
6. Worked toward deploying a global climate change research and monitoring system. ref
7. Implemented renewable fuels mandate of 36 billion gallons by 2022. ref
8. FUNDING:
9. More than doubled federal spending for research on clean fuels. ref
10. $60 billion in spending and tax incentives for renewable and clean energy. ref
11. Invested in all types of alternative energy. ref
12. Increased funding for the Environmental Protection Agency. ref
13. Invested $2 billion in solar power, hailed new jobs. ref, ref, ref
14. Established consumer tax credit for plug-in hybrid cars. ref, ref
15. Provided grants to encourage energy-efficient building codes. ref
16. Doubled funding for bicycling, walking projects ref, ref
17. (DOL) Dedicated $100 million in Energy Training Partnership green jobs training grants. ref
18. (DOL) Dedicated $150 million for Pathways Out of Poverty green jobs training grants. ref
19. $8 billion combined public/pvt funding committed to develop Smart Power Grid (part of ARRA). ref
20. Incentivized farmers to use more renewable energy and be more energy efficient. ref
21. TARGETED ACTIONS:
22. Purchased fuel efficient American-made fleet for the federal government. ref
23. Ordered 5,000 hybrids for federal fleet. ref
24. (NIST) Completed first release of Smart Grid framework. ref
25. Created job training programs in clean technologies for displaced workers. ref
26. Created Green Vet Initiative to promote environmental jobs for veterans. ref
27. Established program to convert manufacturing centers into clean technology leaders. ref
28. RESULTS:
29. First President to create detailed vision for clean energy economy. ref
30. Wind power growth up 39% due to government stimulus. ref
31. Study: Almost 5 million charging stations by 2015. ref
32. Section curator: ^pash

Energy: Old  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Ended the previous policy of not regulating and labeling carbon dioxide emissions. ref
3. Created Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage. ref
4. Set national standards for fuel economy and first ever greenhouse gas emission levels for passenger cars and light trucks. ref
5. Set smog limit: new strict proposal to replace Bush-era rule (EPA). ref ref
6. Regulated greenhouse gases for large industrial sources (EPA). ref
7. Raised fuel economy standards. ref
8. Required states to provide incentives for utilities to reduce energy consumption. ref
9. Allowed states to enact tougher fuel efficiency standards than federal standards. ref
10. Established Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future. ref
11. FUNDING:
12. Pledged more than $8 billion for new nuclear reactors. ref
13. Tax breaks to promote public transit. ref
14. TARGETED ACTIONS:
15. Dismantled the Minerals Management Service, cutting ties between industry and government. ref , ref
16. Reengaged in global warming and greenhouse gas emissions talks. ref, ref
17. Offered 17% U.S. emissions cuts at climate summit. ref
18. Pledged 28% cut in federal greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. ref
19. Expanded greenhouse gas reduction targets for Federal operations -13% reduction from indirect sources by 2020. ref
20. (FTC) Toughened anti-greenwashing rules. ref
21. Instituted “Cash for Clunkers” to spur auto sales and promote fuel efficiency . ref, ref
22. Ordered inspections of mines with poor safety records. ref
23. Closed loophole that allowed drilling in Rockies without environmental review. ref
24. (EPA) Sharply limited mountaintop mining. ref
25. (EPA) Announced historic plans to regulate coal ash. ref
26. Required electric utilities to produce 20% of their electricity demand from renewable energy sources by 2020. ref
27. (EPA) Limited mercury emissions. ref ref
28. Section curator: ^pash

Energy: Oil  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Introduced Oil Spill Recovery Bill to remove oil company liability cap. ref ref
3. Created offshore drilling safety review board. ref
4. Created new drilling agency with investigative arm. ref
5. Ended previous practice of having White House aides rewrite scientific and environmental rules, regulations and reports. ref
6. FUNDING:
7. Ordered $20 billion escrow fund by BP to reimburse lost incomes in Gulf. ref
8. Ordered $100 million to compensate those hurt by drilling moratorium. ref
9. TARGETED ACTIONS:
10. Dismantled the Minerals Management Service, cutting ties between industry and government. ref , ref
11. Mandated new safety rules for offshore drilling. ref
12. Opened civil and criminal investigations into Gulf oil spill. ref, ref
13. (Congress) Launched investigation into gas drilling practices. ref
14. Established the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling. ref
15. Amended Oil Pollution Act of 1990 authorizing advances from Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. ref
16. Expanded oil rig workers’ families abilities to sue and recover. ref
17. Fined BP subsidiary $5.2 million for false reporting. ref
18. (EPA) Barred Texas’ authority to issue refinery operating permits. ref
19. Section curator: ^pash

Foreign Affairs and International Relations  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Re-established the United States standing in the world. ref, ref, ref
3. Poll: World’s opinion of U.S. has “improved sharply” under Obama. ref
4. 47 nations rise to Obama’s challenge at US nuke summit and agree to four years of non-proliferation efforts. ref
5. Visited more countries and world leaders than any first year president. ref
6. G-20 Summit produced a $1.1 trillion deal to combat the global financial crisis. ref
7. Launched an international Add Value to Agriculture initiative (AVTA). ref
8. Created a rapid response fund for emerging democracies. ref
9. Bolstered the military’s ability to speak different languages. ref
10. BY REGION:
11. West Hem: Returned the rights of Americans to visit and assist their families in Cuba. ref , ref , ref
12. Middle East: Appointed envoys to the Middle East and AFPAK affirming the power of American diplomacy. ref
13. Middle East: Renewed loan guarantees for Israel. ref
14. Middle East: Pledged $400 million in aid to Gaza civillians. ref
15. Middle East: Pressured Israel to end Gaza blockade. ref
16. Middle East: Refused to give Israel a “green light” to strike Iran, augmenting Mid-East stability. ref
17. Middle East: Iran Sanctions Act. ref
18. Asia: Authorized President Bill Clinton’s mission to secure the release of two Americans held in North Korea. ref
19. Asia: Authorized discussions with Myanmar and mission by Sen. Jim Webb to secure the release of an American held captive. ref
20. Asia: Renewed import restrictions under Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003. ref
21. Asia: Nuclear arms agreements with India (5/4/2010). ref
22. Africa: Lord’s Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009. ref
23. Africa: Helped stabilize Somalia (Exec Order). ref
24. Aus: Nuclear arms agreements with Australia (5/5/2010). ref
25. Europe: Nuclear arms agreement with Russia. ref , ref, ref, ref
26. Europe: Agreed with Switzerland to bolster tax information exchange ref, ref

Government Efficiency  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Established the President’s Management Advisory Board. ref
3. Streamlined and modernized government to save taxpayer dollars. ref
4. Ended previous practice of having White House aides rewrite scientific and environmental rules, regulations and reports. ref
5. SPECIFIC CUTS:
6. Cut salaries of senior White House aides. ref
7. Made $20 Billion in budget cuts. ref
8. Provided that Members of Congress shall not receive a cost of living adjustment in pay during fiscal year 2011. ref, ref, ref
9. Eliminated F-22 fighter jet program after lobbying Senate vote to strip financing for more jets from a defense funding authorization bill. ref, ref, ref
10. Canceled contract for new Presidential helicopter fleet (28 helicopters, $11.2 billion). ref
11. OTHER TARGETED ACTIONS:
12. Enhanced payment accuracy through a “Do Not Pay” list. ref
13. Cracked down on tax cheats (Exec Order). ref
14. Returned taxpayer monies for refurbishment of White House offices and living quarters. ref , ref
15. Established the USA.gov portal connecting people to the services they require. ref
16. Section curator: ^roytoric

Health and Wellness  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Established HealthCare.gov, a web portal for determining and comparing all consumer health insurance and health care options ref, ref
3. Established an independent health institute to provide accurate and objective information. ref
4. Established the National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council . ref, ref
5. Established President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. ref
6. Ended previous policy of cutting the FDA and circumventing FDA rules. ref
7. Implemented a National HIV/AIDS Strategy 7/13/10 ref
8. FUNDING:
9. Provided $20 billion increase for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. ref
10. Provided $500 million in expanded funding for Health Professions Training Programs. ref, ref
11. Provided funding to strengthen hospital preparedness and emergency response ref
12. Expanded funding to train primary care providers and public health practitioners. ref
13. Increased funding to expand community based prevention prog: rams. ref
14. TARGETED ACTIONS:
15. First Lady Michelle Obama kicked off anti-obesity effort. ref
16. Established a New Patient’s Bill of Rights. ref
17. Established Patient Safety and Medical Liability Demonstration Projects. ref , ref
18. Questioned Prestigious Hospitals in Electronic Health Records Probe (DHHS). ref
19. Established Standards For Accessible Medical Diagnostic Equipment ref
20. Expanded vaccination programs. ref , ref
21. Signed the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009. ref
22. Engaged global efforts on HIV/AIDS issues. ref
23. (FDA) Now regulating tobacco. ref, ref
24. Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. ref
25. (FDA) Ordered Tobacco Companies to Disclose Cigarette Ingredients. ref , ref , ref
26. Banned sale of “light” cigarettes. ref
27. Increased Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities (Exec Order)(celebrating 20th anniversary of the ADA). ref, ref
28. (FDA) to discuss stricter guidelines for tanning beds due to skin cancer. ref
29. (FDA) Issued new guidance limiting antibiotic use in cattle to preserve efficacy in humans (6/28/2010). ref
30. FDA) Reconsidered safety of Bisphenol A, initiates study. ref
31. Section curator: ^roytoric

Health Care Reform (See also Taxes)  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act // Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (March 2010). ref , ref
3. Required large employers to contribute to a national health plan. ref
4. Required insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions. ref , ref
5. Required health plans to disclose how much of the premium goes to patient care. ref
6. Established an independent health institute to provide accurate and objective information. ref
7. Provided minimum essential health care coverage by Veteran’s Affairs. ref
8. Expanded eligibility for State Children’s Health Insurance Fund (SCHIP). ref, ref
9. Prevented children from being refused health insurance coverage. ref
10. Established Early Retiree Reinsurance Program. ref
11. Increased regulation of drug manufacturers. ref, ref
12. Cut prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients by 50% and began eliminating the plan’s gap (“donut hole”) in coverage. ref
13. TRICARE Affirmation Act. ref
14. Extended COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) to provide for a continuation of health care. ref, ref, ref
15. Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009. ref , ref , ref, ref
16. Section curator: ^roytoric

Housing  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Unveiled $275 billion dollar housing plan ref
3. Established “Opening Doors” – a federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. ref , ref
4. FUNDING:
5. Provided $510 Million for the rehabilitation of Native American housing. ref
6. Provided $2 billion for Neighborhood Stabilization Program . ref
7. Provided $5 billion for Weatherization Assistance Program for low income families. ref
8. Provided grants to encourage energy-efficient building codes. Ref
9. TARGETED ACTIONS:
10. Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act. ref
11. Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, helping millions avoid foreclosure . ref, ref
12. Established the Making Home Affordable Plan, which will provide for the refinance or loan modification for 9 Million homeowners. ref
13. RESULTS:
14. New-home sales saw biggest jump in 47 years. ref, ref
15. Foreclosures fall 2%. ref

Humanitarianism  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Supported the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT). ref
3. Civil Rights History Project Act of 2009. ref, ref
4. FUNDING:
5. Accelerated tax benefits for charitable cash contributions for Haiti earthquake relief. ref
6. Made Haiti donations tax deductible for 2009. ref
7. $60 million for flood victims in Pakistan (8/19/10).
8. TARGETED ACTIONS:
9. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act; instituted equal pay for women. ref, ref, ref
10. Presidential Memorandum extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. ref, ref, ref, ref
11. Increased federal employment of individuals with disabilities (Exec Order)(celebrating 20th anniversary of the ADA). ref ref
12. Presidential Memorandum extending benefits to Same-Sex Partners of Federal Employees. ref, ref, ref, ref
13. Presidential Memorandum protecting gay and lesbian partners’ visitation/healthcare decision-making rights (4/15/2010). ref
14. The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act. ref
15. Awarded the Presidential Medal of freedom to Harvey Milk and Billie Jean King. ref
16. The Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act, advancing press freedom and safety for journalists. ref, ref,
17. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act to include gender, sexual orientation and disability. ref
18. Established White House Council on Women and Girls (Executive Order 13506 ). ref
19. Awarded 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. ref
20. Signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. ref
21. The Native American Heritage Day Act of 2009. ref
22. Appointed an American Indian policy adviser. ref
23. (EPA) Reversed Controversial “Human Guinea Pig” Rule. ref

Immigration  

1. Requested emergency funding of $600 million for Border Security. ref
2. Deployed more drones on Mexico border (Homeland Security). ref
3. Deported higher numbers of Illegal Immigrants. ref

Infrastructure  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Introduced plan to expand broadband Internet across U.S. ref, ref
3. FUNDING:
4. $8 billion combined public/private funding committed to develop Smart Power Grid (ARRA.) ref
5. $800 million to fund rapid rollout of rural broadband expansion (7/2010). ref
6. Provided funding for high-speed, broadband Internet access to K-12 schools. ref
7. Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants) after years of neglect. ref
8. $290 million in funding for 53 grants to “fund new streetcars, buses, and transit facilities.” ref ref
9. Invested $13 Billion (ARRA: $8B + $1B 5-year federal budget) in high speed rail projects in 13 major corridors ref, ref, ref
10. Provided grants to encourage energy-efficient building codes. ref
11. Created a social investment fund network. ref
12. Funded a major expansion of AmeriCorps. ref
13. TARGETED ACTIONS:
14. (NIST) Completed first release of Smart Grid framework. ref
15. Opened 500 MHz of wireless spectrum over next 10 years to expand wireless/mobile broadband use. ref
16. Commenced 10,000th road project, Columbus, OH (part of ARRA); June 2010. ref , ref
17. Airport and Airway Extension Act. ref
18. Initiated modification to Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) regulations. ref, ref
19. Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which expands the volunteer program. ref, ref ref
20. RESULTS:
21. Study: Almost 5 million charging stations by 2015. ref
22. 10,000th highway project (ARRA). ref
23. Section curator: ^roytoric

Labor  

1. Established POWER Initiative – protects government workers, ensures reemployment, reduces worker’s comp claims and payments. ref
2. Restored funding to the EEOC and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. ref

Law and Justice  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Outlined new federal drug control policy. ref ref
3. Ordered review of mandatory minimum sentences. ref
4. FUNDING:
5. Restored funding for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne/JAG) program. ref
6. TARGETED ACTIONS:
7. Appointment of first Latina to the Supreme Court. ref, ref
8. Appointed first black Attorney General, Eric Holder. ref
9. Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act to include gender, sexual orientation and disability. ref
10. Established crimes programs for the new Orleans area. ref
11. Brought greter alignment to sentencing guidelines for powdered versus crack cocaine. ref
12. Denounced SCOTUS ruling in Citizens United. ref
13. Pushing through settlement in the Black Farmers Lawsuit against USDA . ref, ref
14. DTV Delay Act. ref
15. Criminal History Background Checks Pilot Extension Act of 2009. ref
16. Tribal Law and Order Act. ref, ref, ref, ref
17. RESULTS:
18. U.S. jail population declined for first time in decades. ref
19. Section curators:

Medicaid/Medicare/Social Security  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Established independent commission to make recommendations on slowing the costs of Medicare. ref
3. Social Security Disability Applicant Access to Professional Representation Act of 2010. ref
4. FUNDING:
5. Eliminated higher subsidies to Medicare Advantage plans. ref
6. TARGETED ACTIONS:
7. Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009. ref, ref, ref, ref
8. Cut prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients by 50% and began eliminating the plan’s gap (“donut hole”) in coverage. ref
9. Preserved access to care for Medicare beneficiaries ref
10. Expanded eligibility for Medicaid. ref

Military and National Security  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Began restructuring the military to reflect present day threats and technology. ref
3. Recommitted the U.S. to a policy of “no torture” and full compliance with the Geneva Conventions. ref
4. All servicepeople receive education in a region’s culture and language before deployment there (a soldier said this on Maddow).
5. Supported the Repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT). ref , ref
6. Ended the previous stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date. ref
7. Established new cyber security office. ref, ref
8. Defense Production Act Reauthorization of 2009. ref
9. Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act. ref
10. Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act. ref
11. FUNDING:
12. Cut the missile defense program by $1.4 billion in 2010. ref
13. Eliminated F-22 fighter jet program after lobbying Senate vote to strip financing for more jets from a defense funding authorization bill. ref, ref, ref
14. Canceled contract for new Presidential helicopter fleet (28 helicopters, $11.2 billion). ref
15. $1.1 Billion for improving airport security. ref
16. Increased pay and benefits for military personnel. ref
17. BY REGION/THEATER:
18. AF Changed the failing/status quo military command in Afghanistan. ref, ref
19. AF Set troop pullout in Afghanistan to begin in summer 2011. ref , ref
20. AF Established Afghan War policy that limits aerial bombing, prioritizes aid
21. AF infrastructure, diplomacy, and good government practices. ref
22. AF Ordered military to withdraw fast food establishments from Afghan bases. ref
23. IQ Ended combat mission (remaining personnel are nonagressive) 8/18/10
24. SOM Increased US Navy patrols off Somali coast. ref
25. SOM Ordered SEAL operation that resulted in killing of three terrorists and the release of US captain held by Somali pirates. ref
26. Closed secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere. ref , ref
27. Opened door to space arms treaty. ref, ref
28. Restarted the nuclear nonproliferation talks, building back up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols. ref
29. Executive Order Optimizing the Security of Biological Select Agents and Toxins in the US. ref
30. Caught more Taliban Leaders in one month than Bush/Cheney did in six years. ref
31. Negotiated nuclear arms agreements with Australia (5/5/2010), India (5/4/2010), and Russia (5/10/2010). ref, ref, ref, ref
32. New START treaty and protocol with Medvedev. ref
33. Section curators:

Military Veterans and Families  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Initiated a new policy to promote federal hiring of military spouses. ref, ref
3. Improved benefits for veterans. ref, ref, ref, ref
4. Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development . ref
5. Worked to clear the backlog of veterans claims and streamline benefits to those who served. ref
6. FUNDING:
7. Provided for the expenses of families of to be at Dover AFB when fallen soldiers arrive.ref
8. Donated 250K of Nobel prize money to Fisher House. ref
9. Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009. ref
10. Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009. ref
11. TARGETED ACTIONS:
12. Medal of Honor Commemorative Coin Act of 2009. ref
13. Promoted a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Women Airforce Service Pilots (“WASP”). ref
14. Ended media blackout on war casualties; reporting full information. ref , ref, ref , ref
15. Military Spouses Residency Relief Act. ref
16. Improved basic housing allowance for military personnel. ref
17. Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010. ref
18. Provided minimum essential health care coverage by Veteran’s Affairs. ref
19. Authorized construction/opening of additional health centers to care for veterans. ref
20. Korean War Veterans Recognition Act. ref
21. Blinded Veterans Association. ref
22. Major Charles R. Soltes, Jr., O.D. Department of Veterans Affairs Blind Rehabilitation Center. ref
23. Improved access for Veterans to receive PTSD treatment. ref
24. Green Vet Initiative to promote environmental jobs for veterans. ref
25. Section curators: ^roytoric

National Disasters and Emergencies  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Ordered an extensive review of hurricane and natural disaster preparedness. ref, ref
3. Memorandum on the Long-Term Gulf Coast Restoration Support Plan ref
4. FUNDING:
5. Provided $210 Million for building and upgrading fire stations. ref
6. Ordered $20 billion escrow fund by BP to reimburse lost incomes in Gulf. ref
7. Ordered $100 million to compensate those hurt by drilling moratorium. ref
8. TARGETED ACTIONS:
9. Haiti Economic Lift Program Act of 2010. ref
10. Haiti Debt Relief and Earthquake Recovery Act of 2010. ref
11. Emergency Aid to American Survivors of the Haiti Earthquake Act. ref

National Service  

1. The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act — Expands the national volunteer program. ref ref, ref ref
2. Created a Social Investment Fund Network. ref
3. Section curators: ^roytoric

Scientific and Medical Research  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Removed restrictions and provided support for embryonic stem-cell research and new biomedical research. ref, ref, ref ref
3. Extended the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. ref, ref
4. Supported Landsat Data Continuity Mission to enhance earth mapping. ref
5. FUNDING:
6. Provided new federal funding for science and research labs. ref
7. Provided grants to early-career researchers. ref
8. TARGETED ACTIONS:
9. Appointed an assistant to the president for science and technology policy. ref
10. Optimized the Security of Biological Select Agents and Toxins in the United States ref
11. Optimized the Security of Biological Select Agents and Toxins in the United States ref

Space Exploration and Space Station  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Worked with international allies on International Space Station ref
3. Opened door to space arms treaty. ref, ref
4. Used the private sector to improve spaceflight ref
5. Supported commercial access to outer space ref
6. FUNDING:
7. Increased spending to prepare for longer space missions ref
8. TARGETED ACTIONS:
9. Added another Space Shuttle flight ref
10. Partnered to enhance the potential of the International Space Station ref
11. Used the International Space Station for fundamental biological and physical research ref
12. Determined whether International Space Station can operate after 2016 ref
13. Conducted robust research and development on future space missions ref
14. DOD opened access to social media sites (Air Force News). ref
15. DOD will film all interrogations. ref
16. Cracked down on tax cheats (exec order). ref
17. Dismantled the Minerals Management Service, cutting ties between industry and government. ref , ref
18. Established the USA.gov portal connecting people to the services they require ref
19. Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act. ref, ref
20. White House voluntary disclosure policy – visitor access records/450,000 records to date ref ref

Taxes  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Adopted Economic Substance tax doctrine. ref
3. Cracked down on tax cheats (Exec Order). ref
4. TARGETED ACTIONS: TAX CREDITS/REDUCTIONS:
5. Temporarily suspended taxes on unemployment benefits. ref ref
6. Established consumer tax credit for plug-in hybrid cars. ref, ref
7. $60 billion in spending and tax incentives for renewable and clean energy. ref
8. Tax breaks to promote public transit. ref
9. Extended and indexed the 2007 Alternative Minimum Tax patch. ref
10. Small business teax credits for the cost of health insurance for employees beginning 1/1/10 (HCR).
11. 2-year temporary tax credit up to $1 billion to encourage investment in new disease prevention and treatment therapies (HCR).
12. Income floor for medical expense deductions for individuals age 65 and older (and their spouses) remains at 7.5% through 2016; Raise 7.5% floor to 10% for all others (1/1/13) (HCR) ref
13. Health insurance premium tax credits and subsidies available for those with income up to 4x the federal poverty level (1/1/14) (HCR) ref ref
14. Accelerated tax benefits for charitable cash contributions for Haiti earthquake relief. ref
15. TARGETED ACTIONS: TAX ASSESSMENTS/INCREASES:
16. Made Haiti donations tax deductible for 2009. ref
17. ncreased penalty tax of 20% on nonqual distributions from HSA and MSA (1/1/11) (HCR) ref
18. Income tax rates for the highest earners will change from 35 to 39.6 percent. (1/1/11) (HCR) ref
19. Capital gains tax for the highest earners will change from 15 to 20 percent. (1/1/11) (HCR) ref
20. 2.3% excise tax on manufacturers and importers of certain medical devices (1/1/13) (HCR) ref
21. For high earners the capital gains tax will rise from 20 to 23.8 percent. (1/1/13) (HCR) ref
22. A 2.35 percent Medicare payroll tax only on wages over the threshold (an increase of 0.9 percent) (1/1/13) (HCR) ref
23. Tax increase for corporations with assets of at least $1 billion (1/1/14) (HCR) ref
24. 40% Excise tax on Cadillac health plans (2018) (HCR) ref
25. TARGETED ACTIONS: TAX ENFORCEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION:
26. Closed offshore tax safe havens, tax credit loopholes . ref , ref , ref
27. Employers will report the value of health benefits on W-2s (1/1/11) (HCR) ref
28. RESULTS:
29. Tax bills hit lowest level since 1950. ref
30. Tax refunds up 10 percent due to stimulus. ref
31. Section curator: ^roytoric

Transparency and Accountability  

1. BROAD POLICY:
2. Mandate to follow the standards of the Freedom of Information Act (exec order). ref
3. Instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible. ref
4. Unveiled “open government” plans. ref
5. Federal IT Dashboard, “a website enabling federal agencies & the public to view details of information technology”. ref
6. TARGETED ACTIONS:
7. Released presidential records. ref
8. Imposed limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House. ref ref
9. Imposed limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration. ref
10. Closed lobbyist loopholes with respect to the Recovery Act ref
11. Banned lobbyist gifts to executive employees. ref
12. Provided more town halls and media access than previous administration. ref, ref
13. Required health plans to disclose how much of the premium goes to patient care. ref
14. Established an independent health institute to provide accurate and objective information. ref
15. Required new hires to sign a form affirming their hiring was not due to political affiliations or contributions. ref, ref
16. Established a uniform standard for declassifying, safeguarding and classifying national security information (12/29/2009). ref
17. Created a national declassification center. ref
18. DOD opened access to social media sites (Air Force News). ref
19. DOD will film all interrogations. ref
20. Cracked down on tax cheats (exec order). ref
21. Dismantled the Minerals Management Service, cutting ties between industry and government. ref , ref
22. Established the USA.gov portal connecting people to the services they require ref
23. Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act. ref, ref
24. RESULTS:
25. White House voluntary disclosure policy – visitor access records/450,000 records to date ref ref

Recovery, Progress and Change  

1. Federal deficit shrank 8% year-on-year.
2. Financial reform has ‘strongest consumer financial protections in history.’ ref
3. Wall St reform designed to end taxpayer bailouts. ref
4. Six-month report card: exports in the first four months of 2010 were 17 percent higher than in the first four months of 2009 . ref
5. Job loss exploded under Bush, improves under Obama. ref
6. 682,370 jobs created under the Recovery Act Between January 1 — March 31,2010. ref, ref, ref
7. New jobless claims tumble. ref
8. March payrolls surge by 162,000. ref
9. March jobs data showed biggest growth in three years .ref
10. U.S. economy added 90,000 jobs in April . ref
11. Jobless rates dropped in 34 states and DC (AP). ref
12. New-home sales saw biggest jump in 47 years. ref, ref
13. Foreclosures fall 2%. ref
14. U.S. Economy: Manufacturing grew by most since 2004. ref
15. U.S. GDP up 3.2% in first quarter, consumer spending showed biggest rise in 3 years . ref
16. Orders for most durable goods rose. ref
17. Wholesale inventories and sales rose in March. ref
18. Consumer confidence highest in 2 years. ref
19. Start-Up activity now higher than it was during the dotcom boom. ref
20. Study: almost 5 million charging stations by 2015. ref
21. Wind power growth up 39% due to government stimulus. ref
22. Poll: world’s opinion of U.S. has “improved sharply” under Obama.ref
23. 47 nations rise to Obama’s challenge at US nuke summit and agree to four years of non-proliferation efforts. ref
24. U.S. jail population declined for first time in decades. ref

Miscellaneous  

1. Got his daughters a puppy! ref
2. Held first Seder in White House. ref, ref
3. Appointed at least one Republican to the cabinet. ref
4. Section curator:

 

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