Saturday, October 8, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
OBL
Osama Bin Laden is dead.
US Soldiers lead an attack to capture him, and he was killed. His body was detained by US forces.
This is an amazing day in American history.
I am excited and saddened... my heart remembers 9/11, and the reason we went after this man. I feel as though thousands of souls have been vindicated, finally... after so much suffering. I also feel as though we can end wars now, bring our soldiers home, and start to repair a country that has been broken for far too long.
US Soldiers lead an attack to capture him, and he was killed. His body was detained by US forces.
This is an amazing day in American history.
I am excited and saddened... my heart remembers 9/11, and the reason we went after this man. I feel as though thousands of souls have been vindicated, finally... after so much suffering. I also feel as though we can end wars now, bring our soldiers home, and start to repair a country that has been broken for far too long.
Monday, April 18, 2011
My President's Accomplishments
All too often I hear people saying "Barack Obama hasn't done anything since he became president - blahblahblah" ~ it's the same whine from conservatives, every time. "Show me what he's done" they say... I say, sure!! No problem!!
• Ordered the White House and all federal agencies to respect the Freedom of Information Act and overturned Bush-era limits on accessibility of federal documents (2009)
• Instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible (2009)
• Placed limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House (2009)
• Placed limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration (2009)
• Signed a measure strengthening registration and reporting requirements for lobbyists (2009)
• Ordered that lobbyists must be removed from and are no longer permitted to serve on federal and White House advisory panels and boards (2009) * Note: After saying he would not hire lobbyists, a few have been hired in the Administration
• Companies and individuals who are delinquent on their taxes or owe back taxes are no longer allowed to bid for federal contracts (2009)
• Initiated the “e-Rulemaking Initiative” (in cooperation with Cornell University) to allow for online public “notice and comment” of federal laws and initiatives (2010)
• Issued the “Open Gov Directive” ordering all Cabinet departments to promote transparency and citizen participation in their policies (2010)
• Signed extensions on banning lobbyists from serving on agency boards (2010)
• Developed the “Don Not Pay List” with data on contractors and recipients of federal funds who are deemed to be ineligible because of fraud and abuse (2010)
GOVERNANCE
• The White House website now provides information on all economic stimulus projects and spending, along with an unprecedented amount of information on our government (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era practice of circumventing established FDA rules for political reasons (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era practice of having White House staff rewrite the findings of scientific and environmental regulations and reports when they disagreed with the results (2009)
• Limited the salaries of senior White House aides (salaries cut to $100,000) (2009)
• Has urged Congress to adopt “Pay-Go” (whereby each dollar of spending is offset by a dollar in cuts or revenues, which was used in the `90s but abandoned in the `00s) (2010)
• Has been holding open meetings with Republican leaders, although they complain of a lack of access and information (2010)
• Signed the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act (2010) * Note: To curb wasteful spending
• Tasked federal agencies to develop plans for disposing of unneeded real estate and then to eliminate unnecessary or non-economical lands, properties, etc. (2010)
NATIONAL SECURITY
• Phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane (which wasn’t even used in Iraq/Afghanistan) and other outdated weapons systems (2009)
• Announced his intention to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay (2009) * Note: The closure has been delayed due to massive opposition but it remains on the agenda.
• Stated his interest in housing terrorists at a new federal “super max” facility in the US (2009) * Note: this has been delayed in the face of massive opposition but it remains on the agenda
• Cut the expensive Reagan era missile defense program, saving $1.4 billion in 2010 (2009)
• Cancelled plans to station anti-ballistic missile systems in Poland and the Czech Republic (2009)
• Replacing long-range, expensive missile systems with more efficient smaller systems (2009)
• Increased US Navy patrols off the Somali coast in response to pirating (2009)
• Established a new cyber security office and appointed a cyber security czar (2009)
• Ordered the first nation-wide comprehensive cyber threat assessment (2009)
• Instituted a new Nuclear Posture Review, revising US nuclear deterrence policy to encourage more nations to join the 1996 Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (2010) * Note: Components of the policy include: a pledge to stop nuclear testing; a pledge to not build a new generation of nucs; identifying nuclear terrorism, rather than a launch from another nuclear state, as the major threat; a pledge to not use nucs on a non-nuclear state in a conventional conflict; etc.
• Executive orders to block payment, transfers, exports, etc… of individuals and organizations support the regimes of North Korea, Iran, Somali pirates, and other foreign threats (2010)
• Presidential Memoranda to extend certain provisions of The Trading with Enemies Act which was to expire in September 2010 (2010) * Note: This includes freezing assets and banning trade that benefits the Cuban regime; however further efforts at normalizing travel to Cuba are supported
• Signed bill for southwest border security and increased funds and agents on the Mexican border (2010)
• Signed the Comprehensive Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act to deal with foreign regimes like Iran and North Korea (2010)
IRAQ & AFGHANISTAN
• Began the phased withdrawal of US troops from Iraq (2009); continuing the withdrawal (2010)
• Changed the US military command in the Afghan conflict (2009)
• Tasked the Pentagon to reorganize US policy in Afghanistan; the new policy includes 30,000 additional troops deployed, priority training of Afghan forces, developing agriculture and infrastructure, limiting aerial bombing, etc. (2009)
• Ordered the Pentagon to send additional helicopters to assist US Marine units and Special Forces in Afghanistan (2009)
• Increased unmanned drone strikes on Taliban and al-Qaeda targets in Afghanistan (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era “stop-loss” policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date (2009)
MILITARY & VETERANS
• Ordered the Pentagon to cover expenses of families of fallen soldiers if they wish to be on site when the body arrives back in the US (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era “blackout” imposed on media coverage of the return of fallen US soldiers (2009) * Note: The media is now permitted to cover the story pending adherence to respectful rules and with the approval of the fallen soldier’s family
• Ended the Bush-era “black out” policy on media coverage of war casualties (2009) * Note: Full information is now released for the first time in the War on Terror
• Ordered better body armor to be procured for US troops (2009)
• Funding new Mine Resistant Ambush Vehicles (2009) * Note: The old Hummers were very vulnerable to roadside explosives and an alarming percentage of our soldiers lost in Iraq were on account of IEDs
• Working to increase pay and benefits for military personnel (2009)
• Improving housing for military personnel (2009)
• Initiating a new policy to promote federal hiring of military spouses (2009)
• Ordered that conditions at Walter Reed Military Hospital and other neglected military hospitals be improved (2009)
• Beginning the process of reforming and restructuring the military to a post-Cold War, modern fighting force (2009) * Note: Bush announced in 2001 his intention to do this but backed off the reforms after 9/11, which include: new procurement policies; increasing the size of Special Ops units; deploying new technologies; creating new cyber security units; etc.
• Ended the Bush-era practice of awarding “no-bid” defense contracts (2009)
• Improving benefits for veterans as well as VA staffing, information systems, etc. (2009)
• Authorized construction of additional health centers to care for veterans (2009)
• Suspended the Bush-era decision to purchase a fleet of Marine One helicopters from suppliers in favor of American made helicopters (2009)
• Ordered a review of the existing “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military (2010)
• New GI Bill for returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan (2009)
• Signed bill providing assistance for caregivers of veterans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan (2010) * Note: The omnibus bill does the following: Training, funding, and counseling for caregivers; promoting pilot childcare programs for women vets under treatment at the VA; independent oversight to prevent abuse; readjustment counseling for National Guard and reservist units; etc.
• Eliminated co-payments for veterans who are catastrophically disabled (2010)
• Fulfilled campaign promise to have combat troops (90,000) out of Iraq by August 31, 2010 (2010)
• Established a new interagency task force to assist veterans owning small businesses (2010) * Note: The efforts include promoting federal contract opportunities, improve access to loans and capital, mentor assistance programs, etc.
• Signed The Families of Fallen Heroes Act, which covers the moving costs of immediate family members of those lost in service (military, intelligence, and security personnel) (2010)
FOREIGN POLICY
• Closed the Bush-era “secret detention” facilities in Eastern Europe (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era policy allowing “enhanced interrogation” (torture); the US is again in compliance with Geneva Convention standards (2009) * Note: Obama has permitted some controversial interrogation techniques to continue
• Restarted international nuclear non-proliferation talks and reestablished international nuclear inspection protocols (2009) * Note: Bush withdrew from non-proliferation talks and dismantled the inspection infrastructure
• Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic (2009) * Note: These were suspended under Bush
• Reengaged in the agreements/talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions (2009) * Note: These were suspended under Bush
• Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any president in his first six months in office (2009)
• Banned the export of cluster bombs (2009)
• Overturned Bush-era plans to increase the US nuclear arsenal (2009)
• Authorized the Navy SEALS operation that freed by force the US shipping captain held by Somali pirates (2009)
• Restored the US commitment to the UN population fund for family planning; overturned the ban on providing funds internationally for family planning (2009) * Note: The family planning efforts were suspended under Bush
• Instituted a new policy on Cuba, allowing Cuban families to return “home” to visit families (2009)
• Extended an offer of engagement (free from sanctions and penalties) to Iran through December 31, 2009 (Iran did not accept the offer) (2009)
• Sent envoys to the Middle East and other parts of the world, reengaging in multilateral and bilateral talks and diplomacy (2009)
• Authorized discussions with North Korea and the private mission by former president, Bill Clinton, to secure the release of two Americans held in prisons (2009)
• Authorized discussions with Myanmar and the mission by Senator Jim Web to secure the release of an American held captive (2009)
• Renewed loan guarantees for Israel (2009)
• Signed the USIFTA trade agreement with/for Israel (2009)
• Authorized a $550m advance for Israel (six months prior to the scheduled date) in order to accommodate Israeli’s economic and financial needs (2009)
• Continued agreements with Israel for cultural exchanges, immigration, etc. (2009)
• Spoke on Arab television, spoke at an Egyptian university, and met with Arab leaders in an effort to change the tone of US-Arab relations (2009)
• Ordered the US to finally pay its dues to the United Nations (2009)
• Attended the Summit of America’s meeting in Trinidad and Tobago (2010)
• Invited the Israeli Prime Minister to Washington; met with him (2010)
• Dispatched several envoys and initiated talks with numerous nations (2010)
• Signed a nuclear limitation treaty with Russia (2010) * Note: The agreement calls for both countries to reduce their nucs by one-third (1,500) and launch systems by half (800)
• Hosted nuclear non-proliferation summit for several nations (2010)
• Executive Order to establish support offices in the State Department to assist the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan (2010)
• Presidential Memoranda to continue drug interdiction support with Columbia (2010)
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)
• 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 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 brings 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)
HEALTHCARE
• Removed Bush era restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research (2009)
• Federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research (2009)
• Expanded the SCHIP program to cover health care for 4 million more children (2009)
• Established an independent commission to make recommendations on slowing the costs of Medicare (2009)
• Reversed some of the Bush-era restrictions that prevented Medicare from negotiating with pharmaceutical firms for cheaper drugs, allowing government to again competitively bid (2009) * Note: Obama had promised to lift all restrictions but, while he did negotiate with drug companies for them to lower their costs the deal only lifted some restrictions
• Expanding government vaccination programs (2009)
• Issued new disease prevention guidelines and priorities for the CDC (2009)
• Authorized the FDA to finally begin regulating tobacco (2009)
• Tasked federal labs to prioritize research on and deployment of H1N1 vaccines (2009)
• Asked multiple congressional committees to bring forward a healthcare reform bill; held dozens of public hearings and town halls on the issue (2009) (2010)
• Established a new council on National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health to be chaired by Surgeon General and charged with promoting healthy lifestyles and integrative healthcare (2010)
• When accusations to the contrary arose, an Executive Order was signed to reaffirm that federal funds are not to be used for abortion services (2010)
• Historic healthcare reform bill signed – $940 billion over 10 years (2010) * Note: 32 million additional Americans will receive healthcare coverage and costs will be lowered for most Americans, but many of the goals are phased in over four years
Components of the bill
- Prevents insurance companies from denying coverage to individuals/family members with pre-existing health conditions; a temporary plan is being developed to cover high-risk individuals with pre-existing conditions until the full reforms go into effect in 2014
- Prevents insurance companies from placing lifetime limits on benefits
- Bans “rescission” so insurance companies can’t cancel coverage if individuals keep their policies current or if they become ill
- An individual’s out-of-pocket healthcare expenses are capped
- Closes the “donut hole” (Part D) for Medicare prescription drug coverage (under Bush, Medicare helped pay for drugs up to $2,600 and above $4,550, but individuals had to pay 100% of the costs in between these amounts); now Medicare helps cover costs irrespective of the amount – seniors will now pay only 25% of drug costs up to $4,550 and only 5% of drug costs above that amount
- In 2010, an emergency provision will offer seniors a $250 rebate on the costs incurred within the “donut hole”
- Individuals living at or below the poverty line were eligible for healthcare under Medicaid, but by 2014 individuals/families living slightly above (making up to $14,404/$29,327) the poverty line will also be eligible for benefits
- Individuals/families making less than $43,320/$88,200 per year will qualify for government subsidies to help purchase health insurance
- Small businesses can get a tax credit if they offer health care
- There are hardship exemptions if individuals can’t afford health insurance
- Families can keep their children in college on their plans through age 26
- Promotes health insurance “exchanges” so consumers can buy “wholesale”
- Creates consumer assistance offices to help consumers file complaints or appeal decisions from insurance companies; beginning in 2011, insurance companies can no longer make excessive rate hikes without justification and approval, and those doing so may be barred from participating in new health insurance exchanges
Funding sources:
- Large employers (over 50 workers) that don’t offer health benefits will be charged a $2,000/worker fee; if the employer offers coverage but employees instead purchase federally subsidized insurance the fee is $3,000/worker receiving federal subsidies or $750/worker (whichever is lower)
- Annual fees on pharmaceutical companies ($27 billion), health insurance companies ($60 billion), and medical device-makers ($20 billion)
- Annual penalties on individuals who do not have health insurance (up to a maximum of $695/person)
- Increase in the Medicare payroll tax from 1.45% to 2.35% for individuals making $200,000+ and families making $250,000+
- 3.8% tax on unearned income for millionaires
- Insurance companies will be subject to a tax on each high-end insurance plan (so-called “Cadillac” plans) they offer
Miscellaneous:
- Illegal immigrants are not eligible for insurance or subsidies
- By Executive Order, such federal funding can’t be used for abortion
- The federal government will assist states by covering all of the increased expenses of expanding Medicaid coverage (90% of costs after 2020)
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
• Removed a ruling that now allows individual states to enact automotive fuel efficiency standards above federal standards (2009)
• Offered attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles (2009)
• Overturned Bush-era rule that weakened the Endangered Species Act (2009)
• Announced plans to purchase fuel efficient American-made fleet for the federal government (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era policy of not regulating and labeling carbon dioxide emissions (2009)
• Signed a measure requiring energy producing plants to begin producing 15% of their energy from renewable sources (2009)
• Announced that the federal government would reengage in the long-delayed effort to clean up “Superfund” toxic waste sites (2009)
• Announced the long-term development of a national energy grid with renewable sources and cleaner, efficient energy production (2009) * Note: Much of Obama’s energy reform was killed by Senate Republicans
• Proposed a new refuge for wild mustangs (2009)
• Cancelled several Bush-era mountain-top removal and mining permits (2009)
• Reengaged in international treaties and agreements to protect the Antarctic (2009)
* Note: Bush had withdrawn from such efforts
• Asked Congress for an energy reform and “cap and trade” bill (2009) * Note: The Congress failed to pass such a bill
• Developing plan to lease US coastal waters for wind and water-current energy production (2009)
• Overturned Bush-era policies that allowed uranium mining near national parks such as the Grand Canyon (2009)
• Expanded the Petrified Forest National Park (2009)
• Signed the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act that protects millions of acres of scenic, historic, and recreational lands and trails (2009)
• Requiring that government buildings and facilities be retrofitted to save energy costs (2009) * Note: These green retrofits are moving very slowly
• Authorized studies in several western states to determine how to support large-scale solar installations (2009)
• Attended the Copenhagen talks and, after the talks were stalled, negotiated an international (voluntary) agreement on reducing carbon emissions and raising funds to assist developing nations in offsetting carbon emissions (2009)
• Banned importation of pythons in response to a growing population of pythons damaging the Florida Everglades (2009)
• Committing the federal government to increasing research and use of renewable, clean energy sources such as wind, biomass, etc. (2009)
• Executive orders establishing a federal initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in all federal operations (2009) (2010)
• Called for exploring the possibility of additional off-shore oil drilling in the Gulf, Atlantic, and off Alaska (but not in ANWR) (2010)
• Agreed to consider increases in nuclear energy production and requested a study on the feasibility of nuclear power plant construction (2010) * Note: Nearly all energy initiatives were defeated by Republican opposition in Congress
• Increased investment in clean energy projects (2010)
• Executive Order to develop a new strategy for and commitment to ocean and lake resources, and for scientific research on water quality (2010)
RIGHTS
• Instituted enforcements for equal pay for women (Lilly Ledbetter Bill) (2009)
• Appointed Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina, to the Supreme Court (2009)
• Held the first Seder in White House (2009)
• Appointed a diverse Cabinet and diverse White House staff (2009)
• Spoke at the annual dinner of the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights organization (2009)
• Signed the first major piece of federal gay rights legislation that includes acts of violence against gays under the list of federal hate crimes (2009)
• Reversed the Bush-era practice of politicizing Justice Department investigations and prosecutions against political opponents (2009)
• Pushing for some of the 9/11 perpetrators to be tried in federal court (2009) * Note: The process has moved at a snail’s pace and, in the face of opposition, Obama has remained quiet
• Signed an extension of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Bill to provide federal research and support for treating the disease (2009)
• Allowed the State Department of offer same-sex benefits for employees (2009)
• Proposed that the Pentagon repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy; placed a “freeze” on current efforts to remove alleged homosexuals from the military (2009)
• After eight years of neglect, the Justice Department and EEOC are again enforcing employment discrimination laws (2009)
• Convened the White House Tribal Nations Conference, inviting representatives from 564 federally-recognized Indian tribes (2009)
• Provided increased school projects for Indian lands and increased funds for the Indian Health Service (2009)
• Signed an Executive Order mandating that his Cabinet develop plans to work with and consult Indian tribes on issues impacting Indian lands (2009)
• Commissioned a study to develop alternatives to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (2010)
• Called for federal agencies to look into recognizing gay partnerships in terms of benefits (2010)
• Signed an Executive Order for the President’s Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (2010)
• Increased funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (2010)
• Signed Executive Order to promote the federal government as a “model employer” when it comes to hiring the disabled (2010) * Note: This includes new efforts to increase the recruitment, hiring, and training for the disabled
• Programs to assist Spanish speakers with the US Census (2010)
• Elena Kagen appointed to Supreme Court (2010)
• Tasked all federal agencies to develop new strategies to address HIV/AIDS (2010)
• After organizing studies on the topic in 2009, tasked the Pentagon to eliminate “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (2010)
• Signed Fair Sentencing Act (2010) * Note: The Administration continues to deescalate marijuana interdiction and raids; increased dramatically the amount of cocaine one must possess to be sentenced to jail; eliminated mandatory sentencing for first-time drug abusers and simple possession
EDUCATION
• Authorized construction funds for high-speed, broadband Internet access in K-12 public schools (2009)
• Increased funding for school construction (2009)
• Increased funding available for student loans (2009)
• Expanded the national youth service program (2009)
• Streamlined the federal student loan process to save $87 billion over the next 10 years (2009)
• Changed the rule to allow students struggling to make college loan payments to refinance their loans (2009)
• Beginning discussions with Congress for education reform (2009) * Note: Much of Obama’s education reform has been sidelined by opposition in Congress
• Initiated a “Race to the Top” competitive federal grant program for states who develop innovative policies (2009)
• Instituted a “judgment review” allowing families with student loans to petition to have their current financial status determine the loan rather than the previous year’s finances (2009)
• Launched “Educate to Innovate,” a public/private partnership making $236 million available for science, mathematics, and technology education programs (2009)
• Proposed capping the maximum amount students must pay on student loans (as percentage of their income) (2010)
• Proposed reducing student loan obligations for individuals going to work in community and public service jobs (2010)
• The federal government will offer direct student loans, cutting out the cost of private banks (“middle man”) who increase the costs in order to make a profit (2010)
• Increased investment in technologies for schools/education (2010)
DISASTER RESPONSE
• Ordered a review of hurricane and natural disaster preparedness (2009)
• FEMA once again reports directly to the president (2009) * Note: Bush removed FEMA (prior to the Hurricane Katrina disaster) from this status
• Demonstrated an immediate and efficient response to the floods in North Dakota and other natural disasters (2009)
• Ordered that funds be released and red tape be streamlined for the ongoing Hurricane Katrina recovery effort in the Gulf Coast (2009)
• Timely and massive relief effort in response to the January 2010 earthquake and ensuing humanitarian crisis (2010)
Components of the response:
- The FBI’s National Center for Disaster Fraud was tasked to look into possible fraud with organizations soliciting funds for relief
- Announced the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund
- Established an emergency Haiti Task Force in the State Department
- Established a website with information, resources, and a posting of a “person finder” online to help families and friends to locate loved ones
- Joint aid and relief planning with the U.K.
You may not agree with what he is doing, and that's perfectly fine to disagree... but don't ramble on, griping about how "he's not doing anything," when it's clearly evident that he is working very hard and doing many great things for America and its citizens.
Its time President Obama started bragging about his accomplishments and putting nay-sayers to silence.
• Ordered the White House and all federal agencies to respect the Freedom of Information Act and overturned Bush-era limits on accessibility of federal documents (2009)
• Instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible (2009)
• Placed limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House (2009)
• Placed limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration (2009)
• Signed a measure strengthening registration and reporting requirements for lobbyists (2009)
• Ordered that lobbyists must be removed from and are no longer permitted to serve on federal and White House advisory panels and boards (2009) * Note: After saying he would not hire lobbyists, a few have been hired in the Administration
• Companies and individuals who are delinquent on their taxes or owe back taxes are no longer allowed to bid for federal contracts (2009)
• Initiated the “e-Rulemaking Initiative” (in cooperation with Cornell University) to allow for online public “notice and comment” of federal laws and initiatives (2010)
• Issued the “Open Gov Directive” ordering all Cabinet departments to promote transparency and citizen participation in their policies (2010)
• Signed extensions on banning lobbyists from serving on agency boards (2010)
• Developed the “Don Not Pay List” with data on contractors and recipients of federal funds who are deemed to be ineligible because of fraud and abuse (2010)
GOVERNANCE
• The White House website now provides information on all economic stimulus projects and spending, along with an unprecedented amount of information on our government (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era practice of circumventing established FDA rules for political reasons (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era practice of having White House staff rewrite the findings of scientific and environmental regulations and reports when they disagreed with the results (2009)
• Limited the salaries of senior White House aides (salaries cut to $100,000) (2009)
• Has urged Congress to adopt “Pay-Go” (whereby each dollar of spending is offset by a dollar in cuts or revenues, which was used in the `90s but abandoned in the `00s) (2010)
• Has been holding open meetings with Republican leaders, although they complain of a lack of access and information (2010)
• Signed the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act (2010) * Note: To curb wasteful spending
• Tasked federal agencies to develop plans for disposing of unneeded real estate and then to eliminate unnecessary or non-economical lands, properties, etc. (2010)
NATIONAL SECURITY
• Phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane (which wasn’t even used in Iraq/Afghanistan) and other outdated weapons systems (2009)
• Announced his intention to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay (2009) * Note: The closure has been delayed due to massive opposition but it remains on the agenda.
• Stated his interest in housing terrorists at a new federal “super max” facility in the US (2009) * Note: this has been delayed in the face of massive opposition but it remains on the agenda
• Cut the expensive Reagan era missile defense program, saving $1.4 billion in 2010 (2009)
• Cancelled plans to station anti-ballistic missile systems in Poland and the Czech Republic (2009)
• Replacing long-range, expensive missile systems with more efficient smaller systems (2009)
• Increased US Navy patrols off the Somali coast in response to pirating (2009)
• Established a new cyber security office and appointed a cyber security czar (2009)
• Ordered the first nation-wide comprehensive cyber threat assessment (2009)
• Instituted a new Nuclear Posture Review, revising US nuclear deterrence policy to encourage more nations to join the 1996 Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (2010) * Note: Components of the policy include: a pledge to stop nuclear testing; a pledge to not build a new generation of nucs; identifying nuclear terrorism, rather than a launch from another nuclear state, as the major threat; a pledge to not use nucs on a non-nuclear state in a conventional conflict; etc.
• Executive orders to block payment, transfers, exports, etc… of individuals and organizations support the regimes of North Korea, Iran, Somali pirates, and other foreign threats (2010)
• Presidential Memoranda to extend certain provisions of The Trading with Enemies Act which was to expire in September 2010 (2010) * Note: This includes freezing assets and banning trade that benefits the Cuban regime; however further efforts at normalizing travel to Cuba are supported
• Signed bill for southwest border security and increased funds and agents on the Mexican border (2010)
• Signed the Comprehensive Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act to deal with foreign regimes like Iran and North Korea (2010)
IRAQ & AFGHANISTAN
• Began the phased withdrawal of US troops from Iraq (2009); continuing the withdrawal (2010)
• Changed the US military command in the Afghan conflict (2009)
• Tasked the Pentagon to reorganize US policy in Afghanistan; the new policy includes 30,000 additional troops deployed, priority training of Afghan forces, developing agriculture and infrastructure, limiting aerial bombing, etc. (2009)
• Ordered the Pentagon to send additional helicopters to assist US Marine units and Special Forces in Afghanistan (2009)
• Increased unmanned drone strikes on Taliban and al-Qaeda targets in Afghanistan (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era “stop-loss” policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date (2009)
MILITARY & VETERANS
• Ordered the Pentagon to cover expenses of families of fallen soldiers if they wish to be on site when the body arrives back in the US (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era “blackout” imposed on media coverage of the return of fallen US soldiers (2009) * Note: The media is now permitted to cover the story pending adherence to respectful rules and with the approval of the fallen soldier’s family
• Ended the Bush-era “black out” policy on media coverage of war casualties (2009) * Note: Full information is now released for the first time in the War on Terror
• Ordered better body armor to be procured for US troops (2009)
• Funding new Mine Resistant Ambush Vehicles (2009) * Note: The old Hummers were very vulnerable to roadside explosives and an alarming percentage of our soldiers lost in Iraq were on account of IEDs
• Working to increase pay and benefits for military personnel (2009)
• Improving housing for military personnel (2009)
• Initiating a new policy to promote federal hiring of military spouses (2009)
• Ordered that conditions at Walter Reed Military Hospital and other neglected military hospitals be improved (2009)
• Beginning the process of reforming and restructuring the military to a post-Cold War, modern fighting force (2009) * Note: Bush announced in 2001 his intention to do this but backed off the reforms after 9/11, which include: new procurement policies; increasing the size of Special Ops units; deploying new technologies; creating new cyber security units; etc.
• Ended the Bush-era practice of awarding “no-bid” defense contracts (2009)
• Improving benefits for veterans as well as VA staffing, information systems, etc. (2009)
• Authorized construction of additional health centers to care for veterans (2009)
• Suspended the Bush-era decision to purchase a fleet of Marine One helicopters from suppliers in favor of American made helicopters (2009)
• Ordered a review of the existing “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military (2010)
• New GI Bill for returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan (2009)
• Signed bill providing assistance for caregivers of veterans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan (2010) * Note: The omnibus bill does the following: Training, funding, and counseling for caregivers; promoting pilot childcare programs for women vets under treatment at the VA; independent oversight to prevent abuse; readjustment counseling for National Guard and reservist units; etc.
• Eliminated co-payments for veterans who are catastrophically disabled (2010)
• Fulfilled campaign promise to have combat troops (90,000) out of Iraq by August 31, 2010 (2010)
• Established a new interagency task force to assist veterans owning small businesses (2010) * Note: The efforts include promoting federal contract opportunities, improve access to loans and capital, mentor assistance programs, etc.
• Signed The Families of Fallen Heroes Act, which covers the moving costs of immediate family members of those lost in service (military, intelligence, and security personnel) (2010)
FOREIGN POLICY
• Closed the Bush-era “secret detention” facilities in Eastern Europe (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era policy allowing “enhanced interrogation” (torture); the US is again in compliance with Geneva Convention standards (2009) * Note: Obama has permitted some controversial interrogation techniques to continue
• Restarted international nuclear non-proliferation talks and reestablished international nuclear inspection protocols (2009) * Note: Bush withdrew from non-proliferation talks and dismantled the inspection infrastructure
• Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic (2009) * Note: These were suspended under Bush
• Reengaged in the agreements/talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions (2009) * Note: These were suspended under Bush
• Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any president in his first six months in office (2009)
• Banned the export of cluster bombs (2009)
• Overturned Bush-era plans to increase the US nuclear arsenal (2009)
• Authorized the Navy SEALS operation that freed by force the US shipping captain held by Somali pirates (2009)
• Restored the US commitment to the UN population fund for family planning; overturned the ban on providing funds internationally for family planning (2009) * Note: The family planning efforts were suspended under Bush
• Instituted a new policy on Cuba, allowing Cuban families to return “home” to visit families (2009)
• Extended an offer of engagement (free from sanctions and penalties) to Iran through December 31, 2009 (Iran did not accept the offer) (2009)
• Sent envoys to the Middle East and other parts of the world, reengaging in multilateral and bilateral talks and diplomacy (2009)
• Authorized discussions with North Korea and the private mission by former president, Bill Clinton, to secure the release of two Americans held in prisons (2009)
• Authorized discussions with Myanmar and the mission by Senator Jim Web to secure the release of an American held captive (2009)
• Renewed loan guarantees for Israel (2009)
• Signed the USIFTA trade agreement with/for Israel (2009)
• Authorized a $550m advance for Israel (six months prior to the scheduled date) in order to accommodate Israeli’s economic and financial needs (2009)
• Continued agreements with Israel for cultural exchanges, immigration, etc. (2009)
• Spoke on Arab television, spoke at an Egyptian university, and met with Arab leaders in an effort to change the tone of US-Arab relations (2009)
• Ordered the US to finally pay its dues to the United Nations (2009)
• Attended the Summit of America’s meeting in Trinidad and Tobago (2010)
• Invited the Israeli Prime Minister to Washington; met with him (2010)
• Dispatched several envoys and initiated talks with numerous nations (2010)
• Signed a nuclear limitation treaty with Russia (2010) * Note: The agreement calls for both countries to reduce their nucs by one-third (1,500) and launch systems by half (800)
• Hosted nuclear non-proliferation summit for several nations (2010)
• Executive Order to establish support offices in the State Department to assist the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan (2010)
• Presidential Memoranda to continue drug interdiction support with Columbia (2010)
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)
• 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 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 brings 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)
HEALTHCARE
• Removed Bush era restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research (2009)
• Federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research (2009)
• Expanded the SCHIP program to cover health care for 4 million more children (2009)
• Established an independent commission to make recommendations on slowing the costs of Medicare (2009)
• Reversed some of the Bush-era restrictions that prevented Medicare from negotiating with pharmaceutical firms for cheaper drugs, allowing government to again competitively bid (2009) * Note: Obama had promised to lift all restrictions but, while he did negotiate with drug companies for them to lower their costs the deal only lifted some restrictions
• Expanding government vaccination programs (2009)
• Issued new disease prevention guidelines and priorities for the CDC (2009)
• Authorized the FDA to finally begin regulating tobacco (2009)
• Tasked federal labs to prioritize research on and deployment of H1N1 vaccines (2009)
• Asked multiple congressional committees to bring forward a healthcare reform bill; held dozens of public hearings and town halls on the issue (2009) (2010)
• Established a new council on National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health to be chaired by Surgeon General and charged with promoting healthy lifestyles and integrative healthcare (2010)
• When accusations to the contrary arose, an Executive Order was signed to reaffirm that federal funds are not to be used for abortion services (2010)
• Historic healthcare reform bill signed – $940 billion over 10 years (2010) * Note: 32 million additional Americans will receive healthcare coverage and costs will be lowered for most Americans, but many of the goals are phased in over four years
Components of the bill
- Prevents insurance companies from denying coverage to individuals/family members with pre-existing health conditions; a temporary plan is being developed to cover high-risk individuals with pre-existing conditions until the full reforms go into effect in 2014
- Prevents insurance companies from placing lifetime limits on benefits
- Bans “rescission” so insurance companies can’t cancel coverage if individuals keep their policies current or if they become ill
- An individual’s out-of-pocket healthcare expenses are capped
- Closes the “donut hole” (Part D) for Medicare prescription drug coverage (under Bush, Medicare helped pay for drugs up to $2,600 and above $4,550, but individuals had to pay 100% of the costs in between these amounts); now Medicare helps cover costs irrespective of the amount – seniors will now pay only 25% of drug costs up to $4,550 and only 5% of drug costs above that amount
- In 2010, an emergency provision will offer seniors a $250 rebate on the costs incurred within the “donut hole”
- Individuals living at or below the poverty line were eligible for healthcare under Medicaid, but by 2014 individuals/families living slightly above (making up to $14,404/$29,327) the poverty line will also be eligible for benefits
- Individuals/families making less than $43,320/$88,200 per year will qualify for government subsidies to help purchase health insurance
- Small businesses can get a tax credit if they offer health care
- There are hardship exemptions if individuals can’t afford health insurance
- Families can keep their children in college on their plans through age 26
- Promotes health insurance “exchanges” so consumers can buy “wholesale”
- Creates consumer assistance offices to help consumers file complaints or appeal decisions from insurance companies; beginning in 2011, insurance companies can no longer make excessive rate hikes without justification and approval, and those doing so may be barred from participating in new health insurance exchanges
Funding sources:
- Large employers (over 50 workers) that don’t offer health benefits will be charged a $2,000/worker fee; if the employer offers coverage but employees instead purchase federally subsidized insurance the fee is $3,000/worker receiving federal subsidies or $750/worker (whichever is lower)
- Annual fees on pharmaceutical companies ($27 billion), health insurance companies ($60 billion), and medical device-makers ($20 billion)
- Annual penalties on individuals who do not have health insurance (up to a maximum of $695/person)
- Increase in the Medicare payroll tax from 1.45% to 2.35% for individuals making $200,000+ and families making $250,000+
- 3.8% tax on unearned income for millionaires
- Insurance companies will be subject to a tax on each high-end insurance plan (so-called “Cadillac” plans) they offer
Miscellaneous:
- Illegal immigrants are not eligible for insurance or subsidies
- By Executive Order, such federal funding can’t be used for abortion
- The federal government will assist states by covering all of the increased expenses of expanding Medicaid coverage (90% of costs after 2020)
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
• Removed a ruling that now allows individual states to enact automotive fuel efficiency standards above federal standards (2009)
• Offered attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles (2009)
• Overturned Bush-era rule that weakened the Endangered Species Act (2009)
• Announced plans to purchase fuel efficient American-made fleet for the federal government (2009)
• Ended the Bush-era policy of not regulating and labeling carbon dioxide emissions (2009)
• Signed a measure requiring energy producing plants to begin producing 15% of their energy from renewable sources (2009)
• Announced that the federal government would reengage in the long-delayed effort to clean up “Superfund” toxic waste sites (2009)
• Announced the long-term development of a national energy grid with renewable sources and cleaner, efficient energy production (2009) * Note: Much of Obama’s energy reform was killed by Senate Republicans
• Proposed a new refuge for wild mustangs (2009)
• Cancelled several Bush-era mountain-top removal and mining permits (2009)
• Reengaged in international treaties and agreements to protect the Antarctic (2009)
* Note: Bush had withdrawn from such efforts
• Asked Congress for an energy reform and “cap and trade” bill (2009) * Note: The Congress failed to pass such a bill
• Developing plan to lease US coastal waters for wind and water-current energy production (2009)
• Overturned Bush-era policies that allowed uranium mining near national parks such as the Grand Canyon (2009)
• Expanded the Petrified Forest National Park (2009)
• Signed the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act that protects millions of acres of scenic, historic, and recreational lands and trails (2009)
• Requiring that government buildings and facilities be retrofitted to save energy costs (2009) * Note: These green retrofits are moving very slowly
• Authorized studies in several western states to determine how to support large-scale solar installations (2009)
• Attended the Copenhagen talks and, after the talks were stalled, negotiated an international (voluntary) agreement on reducing carbon emissions and raising funds to assist developing nations in offsetting carbon emissions (2009)
• Banned importation of pythons in response to a growing population of pythons damaging the Florida Everglades (2009)
• Committing the federal government to increasing research and use of renewable, clean energy sources such as wind, biomass, etc. (2009)
• Executive orders establishing a federal initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in all federal operations (2009) (2010)
• Called for exploring the possibility of additional off-shore oil drilling in the Gulf, Atlantic, and off Alaska (but not in ANWR) (2010)
• Agreed to consider increases in nuclear energy production and requested a study on the feasibility of nuclear power plant construction (2010) * Note: Nearly all energy initiatives were defeated by Republican opposition in Congress
• Increased investment in clean energy projects (2010)
• Executive Order to develop a new strategy for and commitment to ocean and lake resources, and for scientific research on water quality (2010)
RIGHTS
• Instituted enforcements for equal pay for women (Lilly Ledbetter Bill) (2009)
• Appointed Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina, to the Supreme Court (2009)
• Held the first Seder in White House (2009)
• Appointed a diverse Cabinet and diverse White House staff (2009)
• Spoke at the annual dinner of the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights organization (2009)
• Signed the first major piece of federal gay rights legislation that includes acts of violence against gays under the list of federal hate crimes (2009)
• Reversed the Bush-era practice of politicizing Justice Department investigations and prosecutions against political opponents (2009)
• Pushing for some of the 9/11 perpetrators to be tried in federal court (2009) * Note: The process has moved at a snail’s pace and, in the face of opposition, Obama has remained quiet
• Signed an extension of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Bill to provide federal research and support for treating the disease (2009)
• Allowed the State Department of offer same-sex benefits for employees (2009)
• Proposed that the Pentagon repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy; placed a “freeze” on current efforts to remove alleged homosexuals from the military (2009)
• After eight years of neglect, the Justice Department and EEOC are again enforcing employment discrimination laws (2009)
• Convened the White House Tribal Nations Conference, inviting representatives from 564 federally-recognized Indian tribes (2009)
• Provided increased school projects for Indian lands and increased funds for the Indian Health Service (2009)
• Signed an Executive Order mandating that his Cabinet develop plans to work with and consult Indian tribes on issues impacting Indian lands (2009)
• Commissioned a study to develop alternatives to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (2010)
• Called for federal agencies to look into recognizing gay partnerships in terms of benefits (2010)
• Signed an Executive Order for the President’s Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (2010)
• Increased funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (2010)
• Signed Executive Order to promote the federal government as a “model employer” when it comes to hiring the disabled (2010) * Note: This includes new efforts to increase the recruitment, hiring, and training for the disabled
• Programs to assist Spanish speakers with the US Census (2010)
• Elena Kagen appointed to Supreme Court (2010)
• Tasked all federal agencies to develop new strategies to address HIV/AIDS (2010)
• After organizing studies on the topic in 2009, tasked the Pentagon to eliminate “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (2010)
• Signed Fair Sentencing Act (2010) * Note: The Administration continues to deescalate marijuana interdiction and raids; increased dramatically the amount of cocaine one must possess to be sentenced to jail; eliminated mandatory sentencing for first-time drug abusers and simple possession
EDUCATION
• Authorized construction funds for high-speed, broadband Internet access in K-12 public schools (2009)
• Increased funding for school construction (2009)
• Increased funding available for student loans (2009)
• Expanded the national youth service program (2009)
• Streamlined the federal student loan process to save $87 billion over the next 10 years (2009)
• Changed the rule to allow students struggling to make college loan payments to refinance their loans (2009)
• Beginning discussions with Congress for education reform (2009) * Note: Much of Obama’s education reform has been sidelined by opposition in Congress
• Initiated a “Race to the Top” competitive federal grant program for states who develop innovative policies (2009)
• Instituted a “judgment review” allowing families with student loans to petition to have their current financial status determine the loan rather than the previous year’s finances (2009)
• Launched “Educate to Innovate,” a public/private partnership making $236 million available for science, mathematics, and technology education programs (2009)
• Proposed capping the maximum amount students must pay on student loans (as percentage of their income) (2010)
• Proposed reducing student loan obligations for individuals going to work in community and public service jobs (2010)
• The federal government will offer direct student loans, cutting out the cost of private banks (“middle man”) who increase the costs in order to make a profit (2010)
• Increased investment in technologies for schools/education (2010)
DISASTER RESPONSE
• Ordered a review of hurricane and natural disaster preparedness (2009)
• FEMA once again reports directly to the president (2009) * Note: Bush removed FEMA (prior to the Hurricane Katrina disaster) from this status
• Demonstrated an immediate and efficient response to the floods in North Dakota and other natural disasters (2009)
• Ordered that funds be released and red tape be streamlined for the ongoing Hurricane Katrina recovery effort in the Gulf Coast (2009)
• Timely and massive relief effort in response to the January 2010 earthquake and ensuing humanitarian crisis (2010)
Components of the response:
- The FBI’s National Center for Disaster Fraud was tasked to look into possible fraud with organizations soliciting funds for relief
- Announced the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund
- Established an emergency Haiti Task Force in the State Department
- Established a website with information, resources, and a posting of a “person finder” online to help families and friends to locate loved ones
- Joint aid and relief planning with the U.K.
You may not agree with what he is doing, and that's perfectly fine to disagree... but don't ramble on, griping about how "he's not doing anything," when it's clearly evident that he is working very hard and doing many great things for America and its citizens.
Its time President Obama started bragging about his accomplishments and putting nay-sayers to silence.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
The Tower of Regrets (a contemplation from the far future... by Louise Cooper)
There was a time, a time and a time, before we who live now under the sun and the sky came to count time. Before the brown hare ran and played on the southern tundra, before the great gray wolf came to the forests, before the winding of the hunter's horn sounded among the summer trees. An ancient time and an ill time, when things that should not be walked upon the land, when long day became long night, when summer clothed itself in winter, and that which should be North was South, and that which should be South was North. Then did the Earth our Mother cry out, for her children had been moved to great evil against her. They had taken their fill of her bounty and then they had taken more than was their need or their birthright. They stripped her beauty from her flesh, then they devoured even her very flesh, until she was a thing of bare bone. In the lonely night she wept for her wounds that would not heal, and she cried for her children to restore to her that which they had stolen; but her children heard her not. Her children laughed and sang and told tales of their own prowess, and in their boastful revels they heard not the cries of the Earth our Mother.
And for so long and long did the Earth languish in her pain and her shame. She granted the gift of life to her children, and her children took all she gave and more, while repaying nothing in fee. And the Earth cried, and still her children heard her not.
But in that time of evil, while our Mother Earth writhed in pain, there came a man. A good man among ill men, a man of the islands, son of the sea, brother of the storm, a man whose heart was moved to outrage at the vilification of Mother Earth by the vampire children who sucked her dry. This man's name we know not, but his memory will be forever landed in our songs and in our stories, for he it was, he and no other, who cried out against his fellows. He it was who stood alone as the champion for whom our Mother cried. And he it was on whom she bestowed her greatest blessing, and on whom she laid her greatest burden.
For there came a time when the Earth could sustain her grief no longer. Wrath filled her at last, where before she had felt only pain. This wrath fell upon her children who had so abused her, and she rose up to take her vengeance on the perpetrators of evil. But even in her rage she was moved to pity for the man of the islands; one night as he slept upon his bed, the Earth spoke to him with the voice of the murmuring sea, and the voice of the sweet summer breeze, and the voice of the singing bird. She sent a bright creature to stand at the foot of his bed, and that creature spoke to the man of the islands with all those voices and with the voice of the Earth herself. And the bright creature said:
"Man of the islands, you have championed the Earth our Mother, but yours has been a lonely voice and alone amid chaos. Now I come to speak to you with the voice of our Mother, and I tell you this: the children of the Earth have betrayed their nurturer's trust, and the time is at hand when they must pay the price for that betrayal. Our Mother's wrath is roused, and only the greatest of sacrifices will slake her thirst for vengeance."
And the man of the islands cried out in distress and he said to the bright creature, "How can this terrible thing be averted?" And the bright creature spoke sternly saying, "It cannot be averted. Man must answer for what he has done, for if he does not, then the evil will continue and the Earth our Mother will die. Do not plead, man of the islands, for your fellows. Listen in stead to the message I bring to you from Mother Earth, for by that and that alone may your race be saved." The man of the islands fell silent; for though he knew that he slept, he was wise enough to know too that the bright creature spoke a deeper truth than that of any dream. And though his heart was heavy with dread, he listened as he was bidden.
And the bright creature spoke again, and it spoke these words: "Man of the islands, the Earth is moved to wrath and her wrath will not be contained. No word or deed can sway her. She will raise her hand against her children, and there will be great destruction and great suffering. But her vengeance is not infinite. And when it is done, new life will burgeon again through all her lands. Man will raise his head from the dust of destruction, and he will see about him the leaves springing anew on the trees, and he will see about him the shy, wild creatures sniffing the sweet air, and he will know the world is reborn.
"But for this rebirth, man of the islands, there will be a price. Man has learned great magic, but his magic has outgrown him and the master has become the servant. If he is to live on when the Earth our Mother is done with her vengeance, then he must exchange his great magic for a small magic and an older magic. He must relinquish the power and the strength by which he has striven to achieve ascendancy over our Mother, and he must become again what he was so long ago: a child of the Earth, and bound to the earth and at one with the Earth. This, man may hope for -- but only if you, man of the islands and son of the sea, will take upon your shoulders the final burden of the Mother's champion."
The bright creature paused then and it smiled with infinite pity, for it had seen the great grief that overcame the man of the islands, and the great fear that lurked unspoken in his heart. It waited and it waited while the man wrung his hands in turmoil; but at last there came an answer.
The man of the islands raised his eyes, and he said: "What must I do?"
And the creature smiled again, for it knew, as the Earth our Mother knew, that this son of the sea was worthy of her trust. It smiled, and it said:
"Go you to the farthest reaches of your land, to the great tundra that borders on the icebound polar wastes. Build there a tower, a single tower without windows and without embellishment, and with one single door. Build it of stone dug from the tundra, and build it so strong that no hand might sunder it. When it is made, go alone to its door at evening, and enter in, and close and bar the door at your back. Await the sun's setting, and with that setting will come the vengeance of our Mother Earth. You will hear such things as no mortal creature has ever heard; you will hear the crying and the pleading and the dying of your fellow men, and your heart will be torn asunder with grief. But you must harden your heart, and you must turn your thoughts from their suffering. On no account must you open the door, for if you do, you will sign the death warrant of the human race. This will be your greatest test, and you must not shirk it. When all is over, and our Mother's thirst is slaked, then and only then will you see me again. And I will come to you, and I will tell you what you must do." Again it paused, and yet again it smiled. "No more will I say to you now, son of the sea. But if you would see your people live and learn and prosper, do not fail!"
And with these words, the bright creature was no more to be seen.
The man of the islands did not sleep that night. And when the morning broke and the sun stood up in the sky, he rose from his bed and he went out into the world and he saw it with new eyes. Now, the magic of man in those days was indeed of a greater order than the magic of our times. His spells could chain the elements, stop the seas in their courses, bind the gales in their raging. He could move upon and above and under the Earth, and in his traveling he was as swift as thought. He was master of his fellow creatures, lord of the air, king of the water. He knew no fear, and he knew no taboo. No door was closed to him.
But the glory and triumph of man was at an end. This he knew, this son of the sea, as he looked into the eye of the sun and heard again the words of the bright creature, the messenger of Mother Earth. Man's reign was done. But man might live, learn and prosper. And the key to his living lay in the hands of that man of the islands, that son of the sea.
His heart was heavy and his shadow lay long before him as he turned his face to the great tundra. Bit his steps did not falter, for he knew what he must do. He was a lion and he was a wolf; he knew he would not fail. And so he came to the tundra and he found the place where he must build. How he built and how he toiled we do not know; such ways as were his ways are lost to us. But he built, and the tower without windows grew alone on the plain, and the tower had no embellishments and but one door. And when the tower was done, he stood before the door at evening and he opened the door and went in, and he barred the door behind him so that he was alone in the windowless dark. And as he stood in that bleak and lonely place the tears came hard and fast for those he had left behind. And then the moment came when the sun set below the far horizon.
What the man of the islands heard on that endless night, and what images his mind conjured, we cannot know and dare not ask. We sing of his torment, and our harps and our pipes cry the laments of his agony, but still we cannot know, and still we dare not ask. For on that night the seas rose up against the land, and the land was torn asunder, and the fish of the sea perished for want of water in which to swim and the birds of the air perished for want of air in which to sly and the beasts of the land perished for want of earth on which to run. But the tower on the tundra did not fall. And man, in his thousands and in his millions and in his tens of millions, cried out to the screaming skies, but the skies paid no heed to man, and man perished with the fish and with the birds and with the beasts. But still the tower on the tundra did not fall.
All through the long and dreadful night the man of the islands crouched within the tower that he had built. And at last there came a moment when all sound and all motion ceased. A strange and deathly quiet descended upon the world, and beyond the tower walls, where the man could not see, the dark receded and the first gold arch of a new morning showed itself above the far horizon. In the quiet the man wept, for he knew that all he had known and all he had loved was no more. Mother Earth's vengeance was complete, and her new life was the death of his old ways.
And then in the depth of his sadness there came a light within the tower, and the man looked up, and in the light he saw the bright creature, messenger of the Earth, standing before him. And the creature smiled with pity on the man and spoke, as it had spoken before in his dream:
"Man of the islands, son of the sea, the day of your race is done and the world is clean again. The time has come for you to open the door, which you barred as the sun set, and walk out into the new world.
"Much has changed, my friend. The land you knew is no more. Summer and Winter have now changed their places; that which was north is now south, and the great magic which man once wielded is lost to him forever. But with that magic and those works has also gone evil which was man's creation and with which he scourged the Earth and brought about his downfall. I will speak to you one last time, you man, you survivor, you champion, and I will speak to you the burden which the Earth our Mother now sets upon your shoulders."
The man of the islands could not answer; his soul was too full for words to form on his tongue. The bright creature touched his brow so that he raised his eyes, and when he looked he saw that the creature's countenance was filled with pity and with sadness and with joy all at once.
And the creature spoke one last time, and it said "Man of the islands and son of the sea, to this task does the Earth our Mother now bind you, and this task shall endure for all your days and the days of your children and your children's children and all who follow you through the march of time. The moment has come for you to walk forth into the world, and when you cross the threshold you must bolt and bar the door behind you, and never again may you set your face toward this tower. Return to your home among the islands, where you shall proper under the sun and the rain and the wind, and do not return to this place no matter how great the temptation. And when you wed and a son is born to you and that son grows to be a man after his father's image, you shall tell him the tale of the Earth our Mother and her vengeance on the children who betrayed her. And the burden which you have borne shall pass to him and his heirs; they shall guard the tower, and no human eye will gaze upon its door and no human tread shall sully the earth around it.
"This tower will endure, man of the islands. It will stand as a symbol of the folly of your kind, and as a warning to the multitudes yet unborn. If you would see your people live and grow, then let these stones lie on in solitude, and let no hand be set upon them.
"Man of the islands, son of the sea, this is the burden Earth our Mother lays upon you, and this is the trust she places in your heart. Do not fail her."
And the man of the islands looked up once more, and where before the bright creature had stood there was now emptiness and a sighing and a firefly glow that faded into the dark. And the creature's words rang anew in his troubled mind as he stepped with slow steps to the door of the tower that he had built, and as he hands raised the bar and lifted the latch, his heart was heavy with the dread of what he might see when he went forth from that place.
The door opened at his bidding, and his eyes gazed upon the light of day and the orb of the sun that rode in the sky. And though the world about him was changed and changed, and though the trees he had known ere no more and the rivers he had known were no more, yet the land was the land he knew and the land to which he had been born. As he gazed and as he wondered at the land so strange and so familiar, there came to him from out of the south a white bear of the snows, and treading in the bear's footsteps came the gray wolf of the tundra, and behind the wolf came the hunting cat of the forest, and after the cat came the innocent brown hare, and all the small things that ran and hopped and crawled upon the land followed in their wake. And the man of the islands looked upon these creatures, and he knew that the Earth our Mother had placed the heritage of their kind and his kind in his hands. And he bowed his head and tears fell from his eyes, and in his heart he swore a silent oath that such a great task and such a great trust should never be found wanting, and that mankind would not forget.
And so the man of the islands bolted and barred the door behind him, and he turned his face from the tower and he set his steps across the plain to make a new home and a new place from the ruins of the old. And the creatures of the Earth withdrew to their domains, to the snow and to the tundra and to the forest, and the tower stood alone and alone.
What became of the man of the islands, the son of the sea, we do not know and cannot say; for his was a time, a time and a time, before we who live now under the sun and sky came to count time. But the tower he built with his own hands endures still upon the empty plain, and in our time we turn our faces from that place, as we must forever do.
You who sit at my side by the fire, you whose restless ghosts walk in the shadows of my dreams, you children yet unborn, I speak to you as that bright creature spoke so long ago...
If you would see your people live and prosper, then let those ancient stones lie on in solitude.
For this is the burden that the Earth our Mother has set upon us all, and this is the trust she places in our hearts.
We must not fail her.
And for so long and long did the Earth languish in her pain and her shame. She granted the gift of life to her children, and her children took all she gave and more, while repaying nothing in fee. And the Earth cried, and still her children heard her not.
But in that time of evil, while our Mother Earth writhed in pain, there came a man. A good man among ill men, a man of the islands, son of the sea, brother of the storm, a man whose heart was moved to outrage at the vilification of Mother Earth by the vampire children who sucked her dry. This man's name we know not, but his memory will be forever landed in our songs and in our stories, for he it was, he and no other, who cried out against his fellows. He it was who stood alone as the champion for whom our Mother cried. And he it was on whom she bestowed her greatest blessing, and on whom she laid her greatest burden.
For there came a time when the Earth could sustain her grief no longer. Wrath filled her at last, where before she had felt only pain. This wrath fell upon her children who had so abused her, and she rose up to take her vengeance on the perpetrators of evil. But even in her rage she was moved to pity for the man of the islands; one night as he slept upon his bed, the Earth spoke to him with the voice of the murmuring sea, and the voice of the sweet summer breeze, and the voice of the singing bird. She sent a bright creature to stand at the foot of his bed, and that creature spoke to the man of the islands with all those voices and with the voice of the Earth herself. And the bright creature said:
"Man of the islands, you have championed the Earth our Mother, but yours has been a lonely voice and alone amid chaos. Now I come to speak to you with the voice of our Mother, and I tell you this: the children of the Earth have betrayed their nurturer's trust, and the time is at hand when they must pay the price for that betrayal. Our Mother's wrath is roused, and only the greatest of sacrifices will slake her thirst for vengeance."
And the man of the islands cried out in distress and he said to the bright creature, "How can this terrible thing be averted?" And the bright creature spoke sternly saying, "It cannot be averted. Man must answer for what he has done, for if he does not, then the evil will continue and the Earth our Mother will die. Do not plead, man of the islands, for your fellows. Listen in stead to the message I bring to you from Mother Earth, for by that and that alone may your race be saved." The man of the islands fell silent; for though he knew that he slept, he was wise enough to know too that the bright creature spoke a deeper truth than that of any dream. And though his heart was heavy with dread, he listened as he was bidden.
And the bright creature spoke again, and it spoke these words: "Man of the islands, the Earth is moved to wrath and her wrath will not be contained. No word or deed can sway her. She will raise her hand against her children, and there will be great destruction and great suffering. But her vengeance is not infinite. And when it is done, new life will burgeon again through all her lands. Man will raise his head from the dust of destruction, and he will see about him the leaves springing anew on the trees, and he will see about him the shy, wild creatures sniffing the sweet air, and he will know the world is reborn.
"But for this rebirth, man of the islands, there will be a price. Man has learned great magic, but his magic has outgrown him and the master has become the servant. If he is to live on when the Earth our Mother is done with her vengeance, then he must exchange his great magic for a small magic and an older magic. He must relinquish the power and the strength by which he has striven to achieve ascendancy over our Mother, and he must become again what he was so long ago: a child of the Earth, and bound to the earth and at one with the Earth. This, man may hope for -- but only if you, man of the islands and son of the sea, will take upon your shoulders the final burden of the Mother's champion."
The bright creature paused then and it smiled with infinite pity, for it had seen the great grief that overcame the man of the islands, and the great fear that lurked unspoken in his heart. It waited and it waited while the man wrung his hands in turmoil; but at last there came an answer.
The man of the islands raised his eyes, and he said: "What must I do?"
And the creature smiled again, for it knew, as the Earth our Mother knew, that this son of the sea was worthy of her trust. It smiled, and it said:
"Go you to the farthest reaches of your land, to the great tundra that borders on the icebound polar wastes. Build there a tower, a single tower without windows and without embellishment, and with one single door. Build it of stone dug from the tundra, and build it so strong that no hand might sunder it. When it is made, go alone to its door at evening, and enter in, and close and bar the door at your back. Await the sun's setting, and with that setting will come the vengeance of our Mother Earth. You will hear such things as no mortal creature has ever heard; you will hear the crying and the pleading and the dying of your fellow men, and your heart will be torn asunder with grief. But you must harden your heart, and you must turn your thoughts from their suffering. On no account must you open the door, for if you do, you will sign the death warrant of the human race. This will be your greatest test, and you must not shirk it. When all is over, and our Mother's thirst is slaked, then and only then will you see me again. And I will come to you, and I will tell you what you must do." Again it paused, and yet again it smiled. "No more will I say to you now, son of the sea. But if you would see your people live and learn and prosper, do not fail!"
And with these words, the bright creature was no more to be seen.
The man of the islands did not sleep that night. And when the morning broke and the sun stood up in the sky, he rose from his bed and he went out into the world and he saw it with new eyes. Now, the magic of man in those days was indeed of a greater order than the magic of our times. His spells could chain the elements, stop the seas in their courses, bind the gales in their raging. He could move upon and above and under the Earth, and in his traveling he was as swift as thought. He was master of his fellow creatures, lord of the air, king of the water. He knew no fear, and he knew no taboo. No door was closed to him.
But the glory and triumph of man was at an end. This he knew, this son of the sea, as he looked into the eye of the sun and heard again the words of the bright creature, the messenger of Mother Earth. Man's reign was done. But man might live, learn and prosper. And the key to his living lay in the hands of that man of the islands, that son of the sea.
His heart was heavy and his shadow lay long before him as he turned his face to the great tundra. Bit his steps did not falter, for he knew what he must do. He was a lion and he was a wolf; he knew he would not fail. And so he came to the tundra and he found the place where he must build. How he built and how he toiled we do not know; such ways as were his ways are lost to us. But he built, and the tower without windows grew alone on the plain, and the tower had no embellishments and but one door. And when the tower was done, he stood before the door at evening and he opened the door and went in, and he barred the door behind him so that he was alone in the windowless dark. And as he stood in that bleak and lonely place the tears came hard and fast for those he had left behind. And then the moment came when the sun set below the far horizon.
What the man of the islands heard on that endless night, and what images his mind conjured, we cannot know and dare not ask. We sing of his torment, and our harps and our pipes cry the laments of his agony, but still we cannot know, and still we dare not ask. For on that night the seas rose up against the land, and the land was torn asunder, and the fish of the sea perished for want of water in which to swim and the birds of the air perished for want of air in which to sly and the beasts of the land perished for want of earth on which to run. But the tower on the tundra did not fall. And man, in his thousands and in his millions and in his tens of millions, cried out to the screaming skies, but the skies paid no heed to man, and man perished with the fish and with the birds and with the beasts. But still the tower on the tundra did not fall.
All through the long and dreadful night the man of the islands crouched within the tower that he had built. And at last there came a moment when all sound and all motion ceased. A strange and deathly quiet descended upon the world, and beyond the tower walls, where the man could not see, the dark receded and the first gold arch of a new morning showed itself above the far horizon. In the quiet the man wept, for he knew that all he had known and all he had loved was no more. Mother Earth's vengeance was complete, and her new life was the death of his old ways.
And then in the depth of his sadness there came a light within the tower, and the man looked up, and in the light he saw the bright creature, messenger of the Earth, standing before him. And the creature smiled with pity on the man and spoke, as it had spoken before in his dream:
"Man of the islands, son of the sea, the day of your race is done and the world is clean again. The time has come for you to open the door, which you barred as the sun set, and walk out into the new world.
"Much has changed, my friend. The land you knew is no more. Summer and Winter have now changed their places; that which was north is now south, and the great magic which man once wielded is lost to him forever. But with that magic and those works has also gone evil which was man's creation and with which he scourged the Earth and brought about his downfall. I will speak to you one last time, you man, you survivor, you champion, and I will speak to you the burden which the Earth our Mother now sets upon your shoulders."
The man of the islands could not answer; his soul was too full for words to form on his tongue. The bright creature touched his brow so that he raised his eyes, and when he looked he saw that the creature's countenance was filled with pity and with sadness and with joy all at once.
And the creature spoke one last time, and it said "Man of the islands and son of the sea, to this task does the Earth our Mother now bind you, and this task shall endure for all your days and the days of your children and your children's children and all who follow you through the march of time. The moment has come for you to walk forth into the world, and when you cross the threshold you must bolt and bar the door behind you, and never again may you set your face toward this tower. Return to your home among the islands, where you shall proper under the sun and the rain and the wind, and do not return to this place no matter how great the temptation. And when you wed and a son is born to you and that son grows to be a man after his father's image, you shall tell him the tale of the Earth our Mother and her vengeance on the children who betrayed her. And the burden which you have borne shall pass to him and his heirs; they shall guard the tower, and no human eye will gaze upon its door and no human tread shall sully the earth around it.
"This tower will endure, man of the islands. It will stand as a symbol of the folly of your kind, and as a warning to the multitudes yet unborn. If you would see your people live and grow, then let these stones lie on in solitude, and let no hand be set upon them.
"Man of the islands, son of the sea, this is the burden Earth our Mother lays upon you, and this is the trust she places in your heart. Do not fail her."
And the man of the islands looked up once more, and where before the bright creature had stood there was now emptiness and a sighing and a firefly glow that faded into the dark. And the creature's words rang anew in his troubled mind as he stepped with slow steps to the door of the tower that he had built, and as he hands raised the bar and lifted the latch, his heart was heavy with the dread of what he might see when he went forth from that place.
The door opened at his bidding, and his eyes gazed upon the light of day and the orb of the sun that rode in the sky. And though the world about him was changed and changed, and though the trees he had known ere no more and the rivers he had known were no more, yet the land was the land he knew and the land to which he had been born. As he gazed and as he wondered at the land so strange and so familiar, there came to him from out of the south a white bear of the snows, and treading in the bear's footsteps came the gray wolf of the tundra, and behind the wolf came the hunting cat of the forest, and after the cat came the innocent brown hare, and all the small things that ran and hopped and crawled upon the land followed in their wake. And the man of the islands looked upon these creatures, and he knew that the Earth our Mother had placed the heritage of their kind and his kind in his hands. And he bowed his head and tears fell from his eyes, and in his heart he swore a silent oath that such a great task and such a great trust should never be found wanting, and that mankind would not forget.
And so the man of the islands bolted and barred the door behind him, and he turned his face from the tower and he set his steps across the plain to make a new home and a new place from the ruins of the old. And the creatures of the Earth withdrew to their domains, to the snow and to the tundra and to the forest, and the tower stood alone and alone.
What became of the man of the islands, the son of the sea, we do not know and cannot say; for his was a time, a time and a time, before we who live now under the sun and sky came to count time. But the tower he built with his own hands endures still upon the empty plain, and in our time we turn our faces from that place, as we must forever do.
You who sit at my side by the fire, you whose restless ghosts walk in the shadows of my dreams, you children yet unborn, I speak to you as that bright creature spoke so long ago...
If you would see your people live and prosper, then let those ancient stones lie on in solitude.
For this is the burden that the Earth our Mother has set upon us all, and this is the trust she places in our hearts.
We must not fail her.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Inside Job
I am a documentary junkie, and love them even more when they are about exposing government for corrupt financial practices. I just got done watching the movie "Inside Job" and I must absolutely recommend it to you all. If it doesn't piss you off, then you must be someone who lives without money.
Now go, watch it!!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
My American Dream
“Yesterday is but a dream, tomorrow but a vision. But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well, therefore, to this day. Such is the salutation to the dawn.”
I am on several political forums (mostly left-leaning, as that is my obvious preference), and on one particular forum the moderator posed the question to page followers: What does The American Dream mean to you???
I sat for a moment to ponder this very simple and equally complex question... and then...
I was immediately compelled to share my personal vision for this country.
So what is My American Dream?? I will tell you...
It means America is a country where the richest 1-2% don't matter more than me, or my children, or anyone else.
Its a country where my children can go to clean public schools, and receive a top-notch education, instead of the system this country has currently... which is constantly being nipped and tucked like a plastic surgery whore, in order for the rich to continue to avoid paying their fair share in taxes.
It means that I live in a free country, where I can be in a union, or not be in a union - that I can work a full 40 hour week, and provide for my family, and send my children to college with the wages that I earn.
America should be a country where we protect our women, which means that if our women don't want to be pregnant, they can make that difficult choice with out religion and government forcing themselves into her business or her life.
It means that every citizen can have affordable, quality health-care, regardless of pre-existing conditions.
It means that I can use medicinal marijuana in the comfort of my living room, in order to ease my chronic migraines, without the government throwing me into federal prison for it or stripping me of my rights to be a mother.
It means that the people of America are free to expand, create, and grow together in peace and equality.
It means we are not reliant on foreign oil anymore, and we are a country constantly inventing and developing new energy methods that are cost & energy efficient, and effective at saving our climate and humanity as a species on this planet. That we will not destroy our planet for profit any longer.
It means that I am not a slave to corporate oligarchy and fascist ideals of merging corporate and state interests to control the citizens... that label them and treat them as nothing more than dollar signs. We will be people, citizens... no longer consumers feeding the greediest (and smallest) portion of society.
It means that I have the freedom choose no religion or any religion, rather than be demonized for not adhering to one religion (Christianity).
It means that I have the freedom to learn other languages and have my children learn about other languages and cultures in their school system, rather than being demonized for not speaking only one primary launguage (English) and praised for being a cultural ignoramus.
My American Dream includes my gay and lesbian friends, who are wonderful people and productive tax-paying citizens... in this dream, they can share the same marriage rights that I do as a heterosexual. They can serve their country proudly as soldiers with no fear of harassment. They can adopt children and provide loving homes and families.
Yes, this America that I dream of is a place where we are free to protest peacefully over things we don't agree with, and we are free to speak our minds without police brutality or unwarranted force.
It means that prisoners of war will not be tortured in our prisons.
It means that we are a country that does not go to war unless in extreme circumstance, and unless the facts have been made clear to the people in regards to why... that we no longer use terror to fight terror.
A No Lies/No Bullshit American Dream.
This America I dream of means that we are truly free to be an amazing place to live.
That we once again can be #1 in the world for our amazing freedoms.
I feel as though we have a long way to go before this American Dream will become a reality...
But I am fighting for this dream every day of my life and will teach my children to uphold the same fight for their freedoms, for their dreams.... for their children, and so forth.
I will tell my dream to anyone who has the ear to listen.
I believe that before my time on this planet is done, I will see this dream come true.
I hope that others share this dream with me...
Monday, March 14, 2011
What's Mine is Mine, and What's Yours is Mine, too...
The Republican (or Regressive) party is constantly calling for "less government" in our lives. The Party of Personal Responsibility, they claim...
Right...
Cuz nothing says less government like...
Telling people who they can and cannot marry...
Telling people what religion they should worship.
Telling people what language they're supposed to speak.
Oh, and of course... telling people to always carry paperwork around to prove citizenship.
So basically what "less government" means is.... Less for me, but not for you if you do something I don't like!!
Thank Goodness I'm a Liberal!!!
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