Health Care is Worst Where Republicans Poll Best

This week, GOP White House frontrunner Mitt Romney marked the two year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act by declaring the reform law the "national nightmare" he "always predicted." But leaving aside for the moment that Romney repeatedly touted his virtually identical Massachusetts law as a model for the nation, there's a much bigger problem with his call for a "free market, federalist approach" in which "each state should be allowed to pursue its own solution." As Ezra Klein exhaustively documented five years ago, it's almost impossible for even the wealthiest of those state "laboratories of democracy" to achieve universal health care on their own. Worse still, Romney's mythical nightmare future is the horrifying present in the states his party currently represents. As the data show, health care is worst precisely where Republicans poll best.

That point was reinforced last week with the latest Gallup poll on the uninsured in America. With almost 28 percent of respondents uninsured, Texas far and away led the nation as well as the "uninsured belt" that stretches across the solidly red south. Led by Mitt Romney's Massachusetts, 9 of the top 10 performing states voted for Barack Obama in 2008.

But tallying up the ranks of the uninsured understates the magnitude of the unfolding health care horror story in Red State America. Two years ago, the Commonwealth Fund released its 2009 state health care scorecard, which measured performance in providing health care access, prevention and treatment, avoidable hospital use, equity across income levels, and healthy lives for residents. Again, while nine of the top 10 performing states voted for Barack Obama in 2008, four of the bottom five (including Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Louisiana) and 14 of the last 20, backed John McCain. (That at least is an improvement from the 2007 data, in which all 10 cellar dwellers had voted for George W. Bush three years earlier.)

In December, the "America's Health Rankings" project echoed those findings. And in 2009, another UnitedHealth Group-funded study similarly showed that red state residents are the unhealthiest in America. With Vermont topping the list and Mississippi bringing up the rear, Americans would do to listen to Dr. Howard Dean and not former Governor Haley Barbour when it comes to the health care debate.

The ironies of the Republicans' crusade to prevent their own constituents from getting health care aren't limited to geography. Left unsaid is that the dynamic of "red state socialism" applies to health care. That is, the one-way flow of blue state tax dollars to Washington DC to fund programs in red states is already at work.

Currently, the $300 billion Medicaid program serves roughly 60 million Americans. On average, the federal government picks up 57 percent of the tab, with poorer states like Mississippi and Alabama getting 75 percent of the funding from Washington. Averaging 21.8 percent of states' spending, Medicaid is now the largest budget item for most. Medicaid not only pays for a third of nursing home care in the United States; it covers a third of all childbirths. In Texas, the figure is one-half.

In May 2009, the Washington Post ("A Red State Booster Shot") explained how national health care reform would ultimately have to work — and have to be funded:

Health-care reform may be overdue in a country with 45 million uninsured and soaring medical costs, but it will also represent a substantial wealth transfer from the North and the East to the South and the West. The Northeast and the Midwest have much higher rates of coverage than the rest of the country, led by Massachusetts, where all but 3 percent of residents are insured. The disproportionate share of uninsured is in the South and the West, the result of employment patterns, weak unions and stingy state governments. Texas leads the way, with a quarter of its population uninsured; it would be at the top even without its many illegal immigrants.

Which is exactly right. With the full implementation of the Affordable Care Act beginning in 2014, federal assistance to under-served red states will only increase. The expansion of Medicaid to families earning 133 percent of the federal poverty level and the availability of subsidies to those at four times the FPL will enable coverage for 30 million more people nationwide.

Nevertheless, Republican state attorneys general are hoping to overturn the Affordable Care Act in the Supreme Court, if not in Congress. Once again, the reddest of red states are most mobilized to undo the dreaded "Obamacare" where the need for it is greatest:

Of course, the final irony of the Republican assault on health care reform is Mitt Romney himself. In Massachusetts, the 2006 health care reform bill then Governor Mitt Romney signed into law lowered the uninsured rate from 10 percent to a national low of two percent. Even with its individual mandate, "Romneycare" is extremely popular enjoying a 3 to 1 margin of support from Bay State residents. Now, a new study by Charles J. Courtemanche and Daniela Zapata published by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBR) shows that universal coverage in Massachusetts is indeed making people there healthier. As Ezra Klein of the Washington Post summed up their findings:

The answer, which relies on self-reported health data, suggests they did. The authors document improvements in "physical health, mental health, functional limitations, joint disorders, body mass index, and moderate physical activity." The gains were greatest for "women, minorities, near-elderly adults, and those with incomes low enough to qualify for the law's subsidies."

Those Massachusetts residents who benefit from health care reform today fit the same profile of those red staters who will be helped by the Affordable Care Act in the future. (And as MIT professor Jonathan Gruber, who worked on both pieces of legislation, explained, "they're the same f--king bill.") But if Mitt Romney and his Republican allies are successful in repealing The Affordable Care Act, red state Americans will continue to suffer their sadly ironic fate.

That is, health care is worst where Republicans poll best.

(This piece also appears at Perrspectives.)

Robert Reich

Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy, University of California at Berkeley; Author, 'Aftershock'

Break Up the Big Banks, Says the Dallas Fed

Posted: 03/29/2012 2:44 pm

As the Supreme Court shows every sign of throwing out "Obamacare" and leaving 30 million Americans without health insurance, another drama is being played out in the quiet corridors of the Federal Reserve system that may affect even more of us.

Taxpayers will be on the hook for another giant Wall Street bailout, and the economy won't be mended, unless the nation's biggest banks are broken up.

That's not just me talking, or the Occupier movement, or that wayward executive who resigned from Goldman Sachs a few weeks ago. It's the conclusion of the Dallas Federal Reserve, one of the most conservative of the Fed's regional banks.

The lead essay in its just released annual report says a cartel of giant banks continues to hobble the recovery and poses an ongoing danger to the economy.

Wall Street's increasing power remains "difficult to control because they have the lawyers and the money to resist the pressures of federal regulation." The Dodd-Frank act that was supposed to control Wall Street "leaves TBTF [too big to fail] entrenched."

The Dallas Fed goes on to argue that the Fed's easy money policy can't be much help to the U.S. economy as long as Wall Street is "still clogged with toxic assets accumulated in the boom years."

So what's the answer, according to the Dallas Fed? It's "breaking up the nation's biggest banks into smaller units."

Thud. That's the sound the report hitting the desks of Wall Street executives. They and their Washington lobbyists are doing what they can to make sure this report is discredited and buried.

When I spoke with one of the Street's major defenders in the Capitol this morning he snorted, "Dallas represents small regional banks that are jealous of Wall Street." When I reminded him the Dallas Fed was about the most conservative of the regional banks and knew firsthand about the dangers of under-regulated banks -- the Savings and Loan crisis ripped through Texas like nowhere else -- he said, "Dallas doesn't know its [backside] from a prairie gopher hole."

So as Republicans make the repeal of "Obamacare" their primary objective (and Alito, Scalia, Thomas, Roberts and perhaps Kennedy sharpen their knives) another drama is taking place at the Fed. The question is whether Bernanke and company in Washington will heed the warnings coming from its Dallas branch, and amplify the message.

Robert Reich is the author of Aftershock: The Next Economy and America's Future, now in bookstores. This post originally appeared at RobertReich.org.

Inconsistency: The Real Hobgoblin

by JON HAMILTON, ALIX SPIEGEL AND SHANKAR VEDANTAM

Jae C. Hong/AP

Republican presidential candidates Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney clashed often during Wednesday's GOP debate.

This campaign season, inconsistency seems to be, well, almost everywhere. Each flip-flopping politician revels in pointing out the flip-flopping ways of his opponents. Why are politicians and those of us who vote for them so obsessed with inconsistency? We take that question on from three angles: how our brains are wired; the psychology of judging what's consistent; and how consistency plays out in leadership styles.

Jon Hamilton: Why Our Brains Hate A Flip-Flopper

The problem with flip-floppers is that they are, by definition, inconsistent. They're unpredictable.

And our brains don't like that, says David Linden, a professor of neuroscience at Johns Hopkins.

Take The Flip-Flop Quiz

Match The Presidential Candidate to the Change Of Heart to understand why, Linden says, it helps to consider how the brain looks for consistency and predictability in even a mundane event like reaching for a cup of coffee. Long before your hand reaches the cup, your brain starts making predictions about everything from how much force will be required to lift the cup to how the coffee will taste. Once the brain makes its predictions, it starts to "use sensory information as it comes in to compare the prediction with what actually took place," Linden says. You grasp. You smell. You taste. If the cup's weight and the coffee's flavor match the predictions, your brain declares victory. If not, it tries to figure out what went wrong. Of course, coffee forecasting is pretty low stakes. Linden says.

Your Stories

We Asked: When Have You Changed Your Mind On A Fundamental Belief? March 5, 2012

But we have lots of brain circuits that are making predictions about all kinds of things, every second of every day. And the brain pays special attention to other people, Linden says. "We're extremely attuned to the veracity, and the predictability, and the group spirit and the motivations of those around us," he says

That's probably from thousands of years living in groups. To stay alive, we had to know if the person who helped us yesterday might hurt us tomorrow. Prediction is so important that our brains actually give us a chemical reward when we do it well, Linden says.

"We are intrinsically wired to take pleasure from our predictions that come true," he says. Get it right and you get a burst of pleasure-inducing dopamine or a related brain chemical. Get it wrong and dopamine levels dip, Linden says. All that training makes us extremely sensitive to the consistency and predictability of people we depend on, Linden says.

"If we have a sense that there is a mismatch between our prediction and their actions, that is something that sets off neural alarm bells," he says. And if we think they have been inconsistent about something fundamental, he says, we will feel betrayed. "When we feel deeply betrayed, either by a leader, or by someone in our social circle, or by our beloved, that pain really is similar to physical pain," Linden says.

In other words, we're hard-wired to suffer from the inconsistency of flip-floppers. No wonder we don't like them.

The Flip-Flop Quiz: Match The Presidential Candidate To The Change Of Heart

The "flip-flopper" label can be deadly on the campaign trail (see: John Kerry, 2004). As voters, we value consistency in our politicians. We want to make sure they do what they say and say what they mean. Alas, politicians don't always oblige. Play our quiz below: Match the quote to the politician, and we'll tell you how he later flipped on the issue.

Credit: JoElla Straley / NPR

Alix Spiegel: How Your Tribe Affects Your View

My colleague Jon Hamilton makes the argument that we don't like flip-flopping. But this flip flopping thing? It's really in the eye of the beholder.

Consider the work of Jamie Barden, a psychology professor a Howard University in Washington.

Barden found a clever way to look at how people make judgments about inconsistent behavior in politics.

In one study, Barden gathered a group of students, both Democrats and Republicans, and told them that their job was to evaluate the behavior of a political fundraiser named Mike.

The first piece of information the students got about Mike was that after a long night of drinking at a fundraiser he'd organized, Mike drove home and wrapped his car around a telephone pole. Then they found out that about a month after the crash, Mike had gone on the radio and delivered a screed about the dangers of drunken driving. Mike had driven while drunk, then Mike had preached against drunken driving.

The students were then provided with a blank space and the opportunity to weigh in on Mike's behavior.

Now obviously there are two possible interpretations of Mike's actions. The first interpretation is that Mike is a hypocrite. Privately he's driving into poles. Publicly he's making proclamations. He's a person whose public and private behavior is inconsistent. The other interpretation is that Mike is a changed man. Mike had a hard experience. Mike learned. Mike grew. So when do we see hypocrisy and when do we see growth?

What Barden found is that this decision is based much less on the facts of what happened, than on tribe.

Half the time the hypothetical Mike was described to the students in the study as a Republicans, and half the time he was described as a Democrat.

When participants were making judgments of a Mike who was in their own party, only 16 percent found him to be a hypocrite. When participants were making judgments about a Mike from the opposing party, 40 percent found him to be a hypocrite.

In other words our judgments about what is inconsistent and what isn't are clouded by our social allegiances. In fact, the research makes it clear it is hopelessly clouded. Further, there's a whole other school of research that shows that though we can often see this bias in our opponents, we are blind to the behavior in ourselves. We believe that we are earnestly making judgements based on facts, on reality.

So during this campaign season watch the way you watch. Are you seeing hypocrisy where there's growth? Or maybe growth where there's hypocrisy?

Shankar Vedantam: The Political Consequences Of Consistency

A desire for consistency is wired into the brain, which is why we care so much about politicians being consistent.

We're also inconsistent about how we perceive consistency. We're more likely to spot it in our opponents than among our friends or ourselves. But what are the consequences of consistency? Voters say they want consistent leaders: What happens when they get what they want?

Psychologist Philip Tetlock, at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, has worked on an enormous research project for decades that can help answer that question. He's based some of his conclusions on an ancient aphorism from the Greek warriot-poet Archilochus: "The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing."

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tetlock applies this analogy to politics. The hedgehog has one goal: It doesn't want to get eaten. Foxes, on the other hand, are crafty. They have lots of strategies to catch a hedgehog. Tetlock thinks consistent leaders simplify a complex world into a few big ideas. That's why he thinks they're like hedgehogs.

"There are many different types of hedgehogs," Tetlock says. "You could be on the left or the right. You could be a free-market hedgehog, or you could be a Keynesian hedgehog or even a socialist or Marxist hedgehog."

By contrast, leaders who are foxes don't have a single agenda. They have lots of contradictory goals. They support government spending in one case; oppose it in another. They compromise. "Foxes, on average, are more likely to be neither extreme boomsters nor extreme doomsters," says Tetlock. "They are less likely to be on the extreme left or the extreme right."

Consistent hedgehogs and inconsistent foxes both claim great results, so Tetlock has put their claims to the test. He asked a large number of hedgehogs and foxes to make specific predictions about events. Over 20 years, he's collected more than 28,000 predictions about issues in 60 countries. The results are in: Foxes make the right calls more often than hedgehogs. If you want to know where the economy's headed, ask a fox.

But hedgehogs have a curious quality. The upside is when they're right, they're spectacularly right. Think of Winston Churchill, who saw the threat of Hitler before everyone else. The downside is hedgehogs are also more likely to be spectacularly wrong.

"Churchill had a low threshold for seeing threats to the British Empire," Tetlock says. "He saw Gandhi as a terrible threat and he actually made comparisons between Hitler and Gandhi; comparisons that now we would regard as historically embarrassing."

Tetlock's work intersects with other research that shows leaders with inconsistent worldviews tend to do better in office. But leaders who have a clear, consistent message do better during campaigns.

The best presidents, Tetlock says, may be foxes — who disguise themselves.

"They campaign like hedgehogs, and they govern like foxes," Tetlock says.

So when you next hear a politician with a clear, consistent message, ask yourself, is this a hedgehog, or a fox in hedgehog's clothing?

President (D) Obama Administration’s Achievements (Thus Far)

Arts and Culture 

1.  Increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to the highest level since 1992. ref, ref,ref

2.  Created an artist corps for public schools. ref

3.  Championed the importance of arts education. ref

4.  Promoted cultural diplomacy. ref

Banking and Financial Reform 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Established the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. ref

3.  Established President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability to assist in financial education for all Americans. ref, ref , ref

4.  Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010. ref, ref

5.  Dodd-Frank (DF) Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the biggest financial reform law since the Great Depression. ref

6.  Managed the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) ref

7.  Assigned a Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program Act of 2009. ref

8.  Pension relief Act of 2010. ref

9.  Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act. ref, ref

10.  Played a lead role in G-20 Summit re: financial crisis. ref

11.  Reformed deferral rules to curb tax advantages for investing overseas. ref

12.  Established new offshore investment policy that promotes in-sourcing. ref, ref

13.  FUNDING:

14.  Cut salaries for 65 bailout executives (Pay Czar). ref

15.  Banks have repaid 75% of TARP funds, bringing the cost down to $89B as of June 2010. ref

16.  Closed offshore tax safe havens, tax credit loopholes. ref , ref , ref

17.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

18.  Created the Financial Stability Oversight Council to monitor stability of the financial system and individual firms (DF). ref

19.  New requirements for reporting financial data (DF). ref

20.  Created self-funded Office of Financial Research (OFR) to collect information from financial firms (DF). ref

21.  OFR employees must wait a year before working for certain financial firms. ref

22.  Provided for orderly liquidation of financial companies (DF). ref

23.  Limited trading activities of banks (Volcker Rule) beginning 2 yrs after passage (DF). ref

24.  Swaps Pushout Rule prevented federal assistance to swaps (including derivatives) traders (DF). ref

25.  Derivatives must be traded transparently through a clearing house (DF). ref

26.  Defined the amount and nature of assets required to meet capital requirements (DF). ref

27.  Originators of asset-backed securities must retain 5% ownership/risk (DF). ref

28.  Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (DF). ref

29.  Stronger client fiduciary duty for broker-dealers (DF). ref

30.  Higher standards for securities advertising and disclosures (DF). ref

31.  Expanded “insider loans” (DF). ref

32.  Higher standards for sytemically important ($50 billion assets+) institutions, including annual stress tests and restrictions on bank acquisitions (DF). ref

33.  Executive compensation must be determined by an independent committee (DF). ref

34.  Issued compensation guidelines for bank executive salary and bonuses. ref , ref

35.  Financial agencies must establish Offices of Women and Minorities to promote more diverse hiring (DF). ref

36.  Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act. ref, ref

37.  Credit CARD Technical Corrections Act of 2009. ref

38.  Established a credit card bill of rights. ref

39.  Reformed credit card swipe fees. ref

40.  Created new criminal penalties for mortgage fraud. ref

41.  Congress pursued Goldman Sachs for securities violations. ref

42.  Permanently extended Research and Experimentation Tax Credit for domestic investments. ref

43.  RESULTS:

44.  (Treasury) Sold 1.5 billion shares of Citigroup at a profit. ref

45.  G-20 summit produced a $1.1 trillion deal to combat the global financial crisis. ref

46.  Negotiated deal with Swiss banks to permit US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals. ref

47.  Financial reform has ‘strongest consumer financial protections in history.’ ref

48.  Section curator:

Civil Rights 

1.  FUNDING:

2.  Provided $12.2 billion in new funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Act though the American Recovery and investment Act. ref

3.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

4.  Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act; Instituted equal pay for women. ref, ref, ref

5.  Presidential Memorandum extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. ref , ref , ref , ref

6.  Presidential Memorandum protecting gay and lesbian partners’ visitation/healthcare decision-making rights (4/15/2010). ref

7.  Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act to include gender, sexual orientation and disability. ref

8.  Supported the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT). ref

9.  Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act. ref

10.  Established White House Council on Women and Girls (Executive Order 13506 ). ref

11.  Financial agencies must establish Offices of Women and Minorities to promote more diverse hiring.

12.  Increased minority access to capital. ref

13.  Pushing through settlement in the black farmers lawsuit against USDA. ref, ref

14.  Signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. ref

15.  Increased Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities (Exec Order)(celebrating 20th anniversary of the ADA). ref, ref

16.  Section curator: ^roytoric

Commerce, Trade and technology 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Promoted internet freedom as part of U.S. foreign policy. ref, ref , ref

3.  Webcaster Settlement Act of 2009. ref

4.  Satellite Television Extension Act of 2010. ref

5.  FUNDING:

6.  Expanded loan programs for small businesses. ref

7.  TARGETED ACTION:

8.  Small Business Act. ref

9.  Small Business Investment Act. ref

10.  Proposed tougher meat industry antitrust rules. ref , ref

11.  Denied federal contracts to tax delinquents. ref

12.  Appointed the nation’s first Chief Technology Officer. ref

13.  Established Federal IT Dashboard. ref

14.  Modernized the USA.gov portal to connect people to the services they require. ref

15.  Launched the National Export Initiative, with the goal of doubling US exports by 2015. ref , ref

16.  Provided National Export Initiative/Progress report and named President’s Export Council. ref, ref

17.  Launched piracy crackdown. ref

18.  Section curators:

Conservation 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Amendments Act of 2009. ref

3.  Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. ref

4.  North American Wetlands Conservation Act. ref

5.  Stewardship of the Ocean (established National Ocean Council ), our Coasts and the Great Lakes (Executive Order). ref

6.  Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance (Executive Order). ref, ref

7.  Established partnerships to share environmental technology with other countries. ref

8.  FUNDING:

9.  Increased funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. ref

10.  Increased funding for national parks and forests. ref

11.  $175 million of ARRA allocated for water conservation, $135 million of that in the West. ref

12.  TARGETED AREAS:

13.  Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic. ref, ref

14.  Expanded access to places to hunt and fish. ref

15.  Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration (Executive Order). ref, ref

16.  Led effort to phase out whaling. ref

17.  Pursued a wildfire management plan. ref

18.  Encouraged more controlled burns to reduce wildfires. ref

19.  Ordered removal of more brush, small trees and vegetation that fuel wildfires. ref

20.  Section curator: ^pash

Economy 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA): a $789 billion economic stimulus plan. ref

3.  US auto industry rescue plan. ref, ref

4.  Start-Up activity now higher than it was during the dotcom boom. ref

5.  Created task force to fight deficit. ref

6.  Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009. ref

7.  Temporary extension of programs under the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958. ref

8.  FUNDING:

9.  Increased minority access to capital. ref

10.  $26 billion aid to states package (Aug 2010). ref

11.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

12.  Raised the small business investment limit to $250,000 through the end of 2009. ref

13.  Created an Advanced Manufacturing Fund to invest in peer-reviewed manufacturing processes. ref

14.  Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act – establishes a Federal “Do Not Pay” list. ref

15.  Extended and indexed the 2007 Alternative Minimum Tax patch. ref

16.  Adopted Economic Substance tax doctrine. ref

17.  Extended unemployment insurance benefits and temporarily suspend taxes on these benefits. ref ref

18.  Economy grew 5.9% in 4th quarter. ref

19.  U.S. Economy: Manufacturing grew by most since 2004. ref

20.  U.S. GDP up 3.2% in first quarter. ref

21.  Consumer spending showed biggest rise in 3 years. ref

22.  Orders for most durable goods rose. ref

23.  Wholesale inventories and sales rose in March. ref

24.  $26 billion state aid bill triggered a surge of private municipal investment. ref

25.  EXHIBITS – THE STIMULUS ONE YEAR LATER:

26.  Success of the stimulus–how do you illustrate ‘could have been worse’? ref

27.  Distribution of ARRA funds by year. ref

28.  Need for financial education: Investors who act on their own do worse than T-bills; market timers earn negative returns. ref

29.  Consumer debt patterns (revolving and non-revolving) through end of 2009. ref

30.  Growth of the national debt from 2000-2009. ref

31.  Bar chart showing increases in national debt by President (since Carter). ref

32.  Pie chart: 2009 annual deficit contrasting large Bush tax cuts and relatively small ARRA. ref

33.  THE LEGACY: AUGUST 2010

34.  The Economy Has Been Growing – seasonally adjusted change in GDP by quarter 2007-2010. ref

35.  The Private Sector Has Begun to Add Jobs – Monthly change in nonfarm employment 2008-2010. ref

36.  GDP would have been lower without the Recovery Act (2007-2013 projection) (scroll down to Part III to see chart). ref

37.  Unemployment would have been higher without ARRA (2008-2010). ref

38.  The gap between actual and full-employment GDP would have been much larger without TARP and ARRA (2008-2010). ref

39.  MISCELLANEOUS EXHIBITS:

40.  Public Sector Lost 316,000 jobs October 09-July 10 (state aid negotiated out of ARRA by GOP). ref

41.  Section curator ^roytoric

Education: College 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Enacted largest reform of student aid in 40 years. ref, ref

3.  Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010. ref

4.  Established President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability to assist in financial education for all Americans. ref, ref, ref

5.  FUNDING:

6.  Increased funding for land-grant college. ref

7.  Provided means for students struggling to make college loan payments to refinance. ref

8.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

9.  Expanded Pell grants for low-income students. ref

10.  Expanded Pell grant pool by eliminating private lender subsidies for student loans. ref

11.  Section curators: ^ejoyce ^Kroth

Education: Health of Children 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Created the Race to the Top Fund ($4.35 billion) to reward States that create comprehensive education reform plans. ref

3.  Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 . ref

4.  FUNDING:

5.  Provided funding for high-speed, broadband Internet access to K-12 schools. ref

6.  Established State Equalization Fund; new funds for school construction (ARRA). ref

7.  Provided $77 Billion for reforms to to strengthen Elementary and Secondary education. ref

8.  Fully funded the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). ref

9.  Provided $12.2 billion in new funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Act through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. ref

10.  $26 billion state aid package saved 160,000 teacher jobs (Aug 2010) ref

11.  Provided over $2.3 billion in additional funding to Head Start and Early Head Start programs in 2009. ref

12.  Provided $5 billion dollars for Early Learning Programs under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. ref

13.  Roughly doubled the amount available in Federal Child Care Block Grants. ref

14.  Established “Promise Neighborhood” Grants (modeled after the Harlem Children’s Zone). ref , ref

15.  Eliminated abstinence-only funding in budget. ref, ref

16.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

17.  Helped rebuild schools in New Orleans. ref

18.  Established school programs to highlight space and science achievements. ref

19.  Recruited math and science degree graduates to the teaching profession. ref

20.  Expanded the Nurse-Family Partnership to all low-income, first-time mothers . ref

21.  Provided affordable, high-quality child care. ref

22.  Unveiled initiatives to help men be better fathers. ref

23.  Section curators: ^ejoyce ^Kroth

Employment: Jobs 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Jobs for Main Street Act (2010). ref

3.  American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010. ref

4.  National Export Initiative ref

5.  FUNDING:

6.  (DOL) Dedicated $100 million in Energy Training Partnership green jobs training grants. ref

7.  (DOL) Dedicated $150 million for Pathways Out of Poverty green jobs training grants. ref

8.  $33 billion-dollar jobs package (March 2010). ref , ref

9.  $26 billion aid to states package (Aug 2010). ref

10.  $5,000 tax credit for every new worker. ref

11.  New Health IT Workforce Grants (ARRA). ref

12.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

13.  Job training programs in clean technologies for displaced workers. ref

14.  Green Vet Initiative to promote environmental jobs for veterans. ref

15.  Financial agencies must establish Offices of Women and Minorities to promote more diverse hiring (DF).

16.  Recruited math and science degree graduates to the teaching profession. ref

17.  Initiated a new policy to promote federal hiring of military spouses. ref, ref

18.  Required new hires to sign a form affirming their hiring was not due to political affiliations or contributions.ref, ref

19.  RESULTS:

20.  CBO found 3.7 Million jobs created by stimulus (May 2010). ref

21.  Job loss exploded under Bush, improves under Obama. ref

22.  682,370 jobs created under the Recovery Act Between January 1 — March 31,2010. ref, ref, ref

23.  New jobless claims tumble. ref

24.  March payrolls surge by 162,000 US says . ref

25.  March jobs data showed biggest growth in three years .ref

26.  U.S. economy added 90000 jobs in April . ref

27.  Jobless rates dropped in 34 states and DC (AP). ref

28.  Section curator: ^roytoric

Energy: Green 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Established an Energy Partnership for the Americas. ref

3.  Established the Biofuels Working Group to develop a comprehensive approach to alternative fuels. ref

4.  Additional measures to advance clean energy/solar investments and job creation (ARRA). ref

5.  Launched new Climate Service. ref

6.  Worked toward deploying a global climate change research and monitoring system. ref

7.  Implemented renewable fuels mandate of 36 billion gallons by 2022. ref

8.  FUNDING:

9.  More than doubled federal spending for research on clean fuels. ref

10.  $60 billion in spending and tax incentives for renewable and clean energy. ref

11.  Invested in all types of alternative energy. ref

12.  Increased funding for the Environmental Protection Agency. ref

13.  Invested $2 billion in solar power, hailed new jobs. ref, ref, ref

14.  Established consumer tax credit for plug-in hybrid cars. ref, ref

15.  Provided grants to encourage energy-efficient building codes. ref

16.  Doubled funding for bicycling, walking projects ref, ref

17.  (DOL) Dedicated $100 million in Energy Training Partnership green jobs training grants. ref

18.  (DOL) Dedicated $150 million for Pathways Out of Poverty green jobs training grants. ref

19.  $8 billion combined public/pvt funding committed to develop Smart Power Grid (part of ARRA). ref

20.  Incentivized farmers to use more renewable energy and be more energy efficient. ref

21.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

22.  Purchased fuel efficient American-made fleet for the federal government. ref

23.  Ordered 5,000 hybrids for federal fleet. ref

24.  (NIST) Completed first release of Smart Grid framework. ref

25.  Created job training programs in clean technologies for displaced workers. ref

26.  Created Green Vet Initiative to promote environmental jobs for veterans. ref

27.  Established program to convert manufacturing centers into clean technology leaders. ref

28.  RESULTS:

29.  First President to create detailed vision for clean energy economy. ref

30.  Wind power growth up 39% due to government stimulus. ref

31.  Study: Almost 5 million charging stations by 2015. ref

32.  Section curator: ^pash

Energy: Old 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Ended the previous policy of not regulating and labeling carbon dioxide emissions. ref

3.  Created Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage. ref

4.  Set national standards for fuel economy and first ever greenhouse gas emission levels for passenger cars and light trucks. ref

5.  Set smog limit: new strict proposal to replace Bush-era rule (EPA). ref ref

6.  Regulated greenhouse gases for large industrial sources (EPA). ref

7.  Raised fuel economy standards. ref

8.  Required states to provide incentives for utilities to reduce energy consumption. ref

9.  Allowed states to enact tougher fuel efficiency standards than federal standards. ref

10.  Established Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future. ref

11.  FUNDING:

12.  Pledged more than $8 billion for new nuclear reactors. ref

13.  Tax breaks to promote public transit. ref

14.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

15.  Dismantled the Minerals Management Service, cutting ties between industry and government. ref , ref

16.  Reengaged in global warming and greenhouse gas emissions talks. ref, ref

17.  Offered 17% U.S. emissions cuts at climate summit. ref

18.  Pledged 28% cut in federal greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. ref

19.  Expanded greenhouse gas reduction targets for Federal operations -13% reduction from indirect sources by 2020. ref

20.  (FTC) Toughened anti-green washing rules. ref

21.  Instituted “Cash for Clunkers” to spur auto sales and promote fuel efficiency . ref, ref

22.  Ordered inspections of mines with poor safety records. ref

23.  Closed loophole that allowed drilling in Rockies without environmental review. ref

24.  (EPA) Sharply limited mountaintop mining. ref

25.  (EPA) Announced historic plans to regulate coal ash. ref

26.  Required electric utilities to produce 20% of their electricity demand from renewable energy sources by 2020. ref

27.  (EPA) Limited mercury emissions. ref ref

28.  Section curator: ^pash

Energy: Oil 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Introduced Oil Spill Recovery Bill to remove oil company liability cap. ref ref

3.  Created offshore drilling safety review board. ref

4.  Created new drilling agency with investigative arm. ref

5.  Ended previous practice of having White House aides rewrite scientific and environmental rules, regulations and reports. ref

6.  FUNDING:

7.  Ordered $20 billion escrow fund by BP to reimburse lost incomes in Gulf. ref

8.  Ordered $100 million to compensate those hurt by drilling moratorium. ref

9.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

10.  Dismantled the Minerals Management Service, cutting ties between industry and government. ref , ref

11.  Mandated new safety rules for offshore drilling. ref

12.  Opened civil and criminal investigations into Gulf oil spill. ref, ref

13.  (Congress) Launched investigation into gas drilling practices. ref

14.  Established the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling. ref

15.  Amended Oil Pollution Act of 1990 authorizing advances from Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. ref

16.  Expanded oil rig workers’ families abilities to sue and recover. ref

17.  Fined BP subsidiary $5.2 million for false reporting. ref

18.  (EPA) Barred Texas’ authority to issue refinery operating permits. ref

19.  Section curator: ^pash

Foreign Affairs and International Relations 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Re-established the United States standing in the world. ref, ref, ref

3.  Poll: World’s opinion of U.S. has “improved sharply” under Obama. ref

4.  47 nations rise to Obama’s challenge at US nuke summit and agree to four years of non-proliferation efforts. ref

5.  Visited more countries and world leaders than any first year president. ref

6.  G-20 Summit produced a $1.1 trillion deal to combat the global financial crisis. ref

7.  Launched an international Add Value to Agriculture initiative (AVTA). ref

8.  Created a rapid response fund for emerging democracies. ref

9.  Bolstered the military’s ability to speak different languages. ref

10.  BY REGION:

11.  West Hem: Returned the rights of Americans to visit and assist their families in Cuba. ref , ref , ref

12.  Middle East: Appointed envoys to the Middle East and AFPAK affirming the power of American diplomacy.ref

13.  Middle East: Renewed loan guarantees for Israel. ref

14.  Middle East: Pledged $400 million in aid to Gaza civillians. ref

15.  Middle East: Pressured Israel to end Gaza blockade. ref

16.  Middle East: Refused to give Israel a “green light” to strike Iran, augmenting Mid-East stability. ref

17.  Middle East: Iran Sanctions Act. ref

18.  Asia: Authorized President Bill Clinton’s mission to secure the release of two Americans held in North Korea. ref

19.  Asia: Authorized discussions with Myanmar and mission by Sen. Jim Webb to secure the release of an American held captive. ref

20.  Asia: Renewed import restrictions under Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003. ref

21.  Asia: Nuclear arms agreements with India (5/4/2010). ref

22.  Africa: Lord’s Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009. ref

23.  Africa: Helped stabilize Somalia (Exec Order). ref

24.  Aus: Nuclear arms agreements with Australia (5/5/2010). ref

25.  Europe: Nuclear arms agreement with Russia. ref , ref, ref, ref

26.  Europe: Agreed with Switzerland to bolster tax information exchange ref, ref

Government Efficiency 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Established the President’s Management Advisory Board. ref

3.  Streamlined and modernized government to save taxpayer dollars. ref

4.  Ended previous practice of having White House aides rewrite scientific and environmental rules, regulations and reports. ref

5.  SPECIFIC CUTS:

6.  Cut salaries of senior White House aides. ref

7.  Made $20 Billion in budget cuts. ref

8.  Provided that Members of Congress shall not receive a cost of living adjustment in pay during fiscal year 2011. ref, ref, ref

9.  Eliminated F-22 fighter jet program after lobbying Senate vote to strip financing for more jets from a defense funding authorization bill. ref, ref, ref

10.  Canceled contract for new Presidential helicopter fleet (28 helicopters, $11.2 billion). ref

11.  OTHER TARGETED ACTIONS:

12.  Enhanced payment accuracy through a “Do Not Pay” list. ref

13.  Cracked down on tax cheats (Exec Order). ref

14.  Returned taxpayer monies for refurbishment of White House offices and living quarters. ref , ref

15.  Established the USA.gov portal connecting people to the services they require. ref

16.  Section curator: ^roytoric

Health and Wellness 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Established HealthCare.gov, a web portal for determining and comparing all consumer health insurance and health care options ref, ref

3.  Established an independent health institute to provide accurate and objective information. ref

4.  Established the National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council . ref, ref

5.  Established President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. ref

6.  Ended previous policy of cutting the FDA and circumventing FDA rules. ref

7.  Implemented a National HIV/AIDS Strategy 7/13/10 ref

8.  FUNDING:

9.  Provided $20 billion increase for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. ref

10.  Provided $500 million in expanded funding for Health Professions Training Programs. ref, ref

11.  Provided funding to strengthen hospital preparedness and emergency response ref

12.  Expanded funding to train primary care providers and public health practitioners. ref

13.  Increased funding to expand community based prevention prog: rams. ref

14.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

15.  First Lady Michelle Obama kicked off anti-obesity effort. ref

16.  Established a New Patient’s Bill of Rights. ref

17.  Established Patient Safety and Medical Liability Demonstration Projects. ref , ref

18.  Questioned Prestigious Hospitals in Electronic Health Records Probe (DHHS). ref

19.  Established Standards For Accessible Medical Diagnostic Equipment ref

20.  Expanded vaccination programs. ref , ref

21.  Signed the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009. ref

22.  Engaged global efforts on HIV/AIDS issues. ref

23.  (FDA) Now regulating tobacco. ref, ref

24.  Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. ref

25.  (FDA) Ordered Tobacco Companies to Disclose Cigarette Ingredients. ref , ref , ref

26.  Banned sale of “light” cigarettes. ref

27.  Increased Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities (Exec Order)(celebrating 20th anniversary of the ADA). ref, ref

28.  (FDA) to discuss stricter guidelines for tanning beds due to skin cancer. ref

29.  (FDA) Issued new guidance limiting antibiotic use in cattle to preserve efficacy in humans (6/28/2010). ref

30.  FDA) Reconsidered safety of Bisphenol A, initiates study. ref

31.  Section curator: ^roytoric

Health Care Reform (See also Taxes) 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act // Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (March 2010). ref , ref

3.  Required large employers to contribute to a national health plan. ref

4.  Required insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions. ref , ref

5.  Required health plans to disclose how much of the premium goes to patient care. ref

6.  Established an independent health institute to provide accurate and objective information. ref

7.  Provided minimum essential health care coverage by Veteran’s Affairs. ref

8.  Expanded eligibility for State Children’s Health Insurance Fund (SCHIP). ref, ref

9.  Prevented children from being refused health insurance coverage. ref

10.  Established Early Retiree Reinsurance Program. ref

11.  Increased regulation of drug manufacturers. ref, ref

12.  Cut prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients by 50% and began eliminating the plan’s gap (“donut hole”) in coverage. ref

13.  TRICARE Affirmation Act. ref

14.  Extended COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) to provide for a continuation of health care. ref, ref, ref

15.  Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009. ref , ref , ref, ref

16.  Section curator: ^roytoric

Housing 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Unveiled $275 billion dollar housing plan ref

3.  Established “Opening Doors” – a federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. ref , ref

4.  FUNDING:

5.  Provided $510 Million for the rehabilitation of Native American housing. ref

6.  Provided $2 billion for Neighborhood Stabilization Program . ref

7.  Provided $5 billion for Weatherization Assistance Program for low income families. ref

8.  Provided grants to encourage energy-efficient building codes. Ref

9.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

10.  Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act. ref

11.  Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, helping millions avoid foreclosure . ref, ref

12.  Established the Making Home Affordable Plan, which will provide for the refinance or loan modification for 9 Million homeowners. ref

13.  RESULTS:

14.  New-home sales saw biggest jump in 47 years. ref, ref

15.  Foreclosures fall 2%. ref

Humanitarianism 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Supported the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT). ref

3.  Civil Rights History Project Act of 2009. ref, ref

4.  FUNDING:

5.  Accelerated tax benefits for charitable cash contributions for Haiti earthquake relief. ref

6.  Made Haiti donations tax deductible for 2009. ref

7.  $60 million for flood victims in Pakistan (8/19/10).

8.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

9.  The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act; instituted equal pay for women. ref, ref, ref

10.  Presidential Memorandum extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. ref, ref, ref, ref

11.  Increased federal employment of individuals with disabilities (Exec Order)(celebrating 20th anniversary of the ADA). ref ref

12.  Presidential Memorandum extending benefits to Same-Sex Partners of Federal Employees. ref, ref, ref, ref

13.  Presidential Memorandum protecting gay and lesbian partners’ visitation/healthcare decision-making rights (4/15/2010). ref

14.  The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act. ref

15.  Awarded the Presidential Medal of freedom to Harvey Milk and Billie Jean King. ref

16.  The Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act, advancing press freedom and safety for journalists. ref, ref,

17.  The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act to include gender, sexual orientation and disability. ref

18.  Established White House Council on Women and Girls (Executive Order 13506 ). ref

19.  Awarded 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. ref

20.  Signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. ref

21.  The Native American Heritage Day Act of 2009. ref

22.  Appointed an American Indian policy adviser. ref

23.  (EPA) Reversed Controversial “Human Guinea Pig” Rule. ref

Immigration 

1.  Requested emergency funding of $600 million for Border Security. ref

2.  Deployed more drones on Mexico border (Homeland Security). ref

3.  Deported higher numbers of Illegal Immigrants. ref

Infrastructure 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Introduced plan to expand broadband Internet across U.S. ref, ref

3.  FUNDING:

4.  $8 billion combined public/private funding committed to develop Smart Power Grid (ARRA.) ref

5.  $800 million to fund rapid rollout of rural broadband expansion (7/2010). ref

6.  Provided funding for high-speed, broadband Internet access to K-12 schools. ref

7.  Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants) after years of neglect. ref

8.  $290 million in funding for 53 grants to “fund new streetcars, buses, and transit facilities.” ref ref

9.  Invested $13 Billion (ARRA: $8B + $1B 5-year federal budget) in high speed rail projects in 13 major corridors ref, ref, ref

10.  Provided grants to encourage energy-efficient building codes. ref

11.  Created a social investment fund network. ref

12.  Funded a major expansion of AmeriCorps. ref

13.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

14.  (NIST) Completed first release of Smart Grid framework. ref

15.  Opened 500 MHz of wireless spectrum over next 10 years to expand wireless/mobile broadband use. ref

16.  Commenced 10,000th road project, Columbus, OH (part of ARRA); June 2010. ref , ref

17.  Airport and Airway Extension Act. ref

18.  Initiated modification to Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) regulations. ref, ref

19.  Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which expands the volunteer program. ref, ref ref

20.  RESULTS:

21.  Study: Almost 5 million charging stations by 2015. ref

22.  10,000th highway project (ARRA). ref

23.  Section curator: ^roytoric

Labor 

1.  Established POWER Initiative – protects government workers, ensures reemployment, reduces worker’s comp claims and payments. ref

2.  Restored funding to the EEOC and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. ref

Law and Justice 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Outlined new federal drug control policy. ref ref

3.  Ordered review of mandatory minimum sentences. ref

4.  FUNDING:

5.  Restored funding for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne/JAG) program. ref

6.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

7.  Appointment of first Latina to the Supreme Court. ref, ref

8.  Appointed first black Attorney General, Eric Holder. ref

9.  Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act to include gender, sexual orientation and disability. ref

10.  Established crimes programs for the new Orleans area. ref

11.  Brought greter alignment to sentencing guidelines for powdered versus crack cocaine. ref

12.  Denounced SCOTUS ruling in Citizens United. ref

13.  Pushing through settlement in the Black Farmers Lawsuit against USDA . ref, ref

14.  DTV Delay Act. ref

15.  Criminal History Background Checks Pilot Extension Act of 2009. ref

16.  Tribal Law and Order Act. ref, ref, ref, ref

17.  RESULTS:

18.  U.S. jail population declined for first time in decades. ref

19.  Section curators:

Medicaid/Medicare/Social Security 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Established independent commission to make recommendations on slowing the costs of Medicare. ref

3.  Social Security Disability Applicant Access to Professional Representation Act of 2010. ref

4.  FUNDING:

5.  Eliminated higher subsidies to Medicare Advantage plans. ref

6.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

7.  Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009. ref, ref, ref, ref

8.  Cut prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients by 50% and began eliminating the plan’s gap (“donut hole”) in coverage. ref

9.  Preserved access to care for Medicare beneficiaries ref

10.  Expanded eligibility for Medicaid. ref

Military and National Security 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Began restructuring the military to reflect present day threats and technology. ref

3.  Recommitted the U.S. to a policy of “no torture” and full compliance with the Geneva Conventions. ref

4.  All service people receive education in a region’s culture and language before deployment there (a soldier said this on Maddow).

5.  Supported the Repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT). ref , ref

6.  Ended the previous stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date.ref

7.  Established new cyber security office. ref, ref

8.  Defense Production Act Reauthorization of 2009. ref

9.  Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act. ref

10.  Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act. ref

11.  FUNDING:

12.  Cut the missile defense program by $1.4 billion in 2010. ref

13.  Eliminated F-22 fighter jet program after lobbying Senate vote to strip financing for more jets from a defense funding authorization bill. ref, ref, ref

14.  Canceled contract for new Presidential helicopter fleet (28 helicopters, $11.2 billion). ref

15.  $1.1 Billion for improving airport security. ref

16.  Increased pay and benefits for military personnel. ref

17.  BY REGION/THEATER:

18.  AF Changed the failing/status quo military command in Afghanistan. ref, ref

19.  AF Set troop pullout in Afghanistan to begin in summer 2011. ref , ref

20.  AF Established Afghan War policy that limits aerial bombing, prioritizes aid

21.  AF infrastructure, diplomacy, and good government practices. ref

22.  AF Ordered military to withdraw fast food establishments from Afghan bases. ref

23.  IQ Ended combat mission (remaining personnel are nonagressive) 8/18/10

24.  SOM Increased US Navy patrols off Somali coast. ref

25.  SOM Ordered SEAL operation that resulted in killing of three terrorists and the release of US captain held by Somali pirates. ref

26.  Closed secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere. ref , ref

27.  Opened door to space arms treaty. ref, ref

28.  Restarted the nuclear nonproliferation talks, building back up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols. ref

29.  Executive Order Optimizing the Security of Biological Select Agents and Toxins in the US. ref

30.  Caught more Taliban Leaders in one month than Bush/Cheney did in six years. ref

31.  Negotiated nuclear arms agreements with Australia (5/5/2010), India (5/4/2010), and Russia (5/10/2010). ref, ref, ref,ref

32.  New START treaty and protocol with Medvedev. ref

33.  Section curators:

Military Veterans and Families 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Initiated a new policy to promote federal hiring of military spouses. ref, ref

3.  Improved benefits for veterans. ref, ref, ref, ref

4.  Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development . ref

5.  Worked to clear the backlog of veterans claims and streamline benefits to those who served. ref

6.  FUNDING:

7.  Provided for the expenses of families of to be at Dover AFB when fallen soldiers arrive.ref

8.  Donated 250K of Nobel prize money to Fisher House. ref

9.  Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009. ref

10.  Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009. ref

11.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

12.  Medal of Honor Commemorative Coin Act of 2009. ref

13.  Promoted a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Women Airforce Service Pilots (“WASP”). ref

14.  Ended media blackout on war casualties; reporting full information. ref , ref, ref , ref

15.  Military Spouses Residency Relief Act. ref

16.  Improved basic housing allowance for military personnel. ref

17.  Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010. ref

18.  Provided minimum essential health care coverage by Veteran’s Affairs. ref

19.  Authorized construction/opening of additional health centers to care for veterans. ref

20.  Korean War Veterans Recognition Act. ref

21.  Blinded Veterans Association. ref

22.  Major Charles R. Soltes, Jr., O.D. Department of Veterans Affairs Blind Rehabilitation Center. ref

23.  Improved access for Veterans to receive PTSD treatment. ref

24.  Green Vet Initiative to promote environmental jobs for veterans. ref

25.  Section curators: ^roytoric

National Disasters and Emergencies 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Ordered an extensive review of hurricane and natural disaster preparedness. ref, ref

3.  Memorandum on the Long-Term Gulf Coast Restoration Support Plan ref

4.  FUNDING:

5.  Provided $210 Million for building and upgrading fire stations. ref

6.  Ordered $20 billion escrow fund by BP to reimburse lost incomes in Gulf. ref

7.  Ordered $100 million to compensate those hurt by drilling moratorium. ref

8.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

9.  Haiti Economic Lift Program Act of 2010. ref

10.  Haiti Debt Relief and Earthquake Recovery Act of 2010. ref

11.  Emergency Aid to American Survivors of the Haiti Earthquake Act. ref

National Service 

1.  The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act — Expands the national volunteer program. ref ref, ref ref

2.  Created a Social Investment Fund Network. ref

3.  Section curators: ^roytoric

Scientific and Medical Research 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Removed restrictions and provided support for embryonic stem-cell research and new biomedical research.ref, ref, ref ref

3.  Extended the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. ref, ref

4.  Supported Landsat Data Continuity Mission to enhance earth mapping. ref

5.  FUNDING:

6.  Provided new federal funding for science and research labs. ref

7.  Provided grants to early-career researchers. ref

8.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

9.  Appointed an assistant to the president for science and technology policy. ref

10.  Optimized the Security of Biological Select Agents and Toxins in the United States ref

11.  Optimized the Security of Biological Select Agents and Toxins in the United States ref

Space Exploration and Space Station 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Worked with international allies on International Space Station ref

3.  Opened door to space arms treaty. ref, ref

4.  Used the private sector to improve spaceflight ref

5.  Supported commercial access to outer space ref

6.  FUNDING:

7.  Increased spending to prepare for longer space missions ref

8.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

9.  Added another Space Shuttle flight ref

10.  Partnered to enhance the potential of the International Space Station ref

11.  Used the International Space Station for fundamental biological and physical research ref

12.  Determined whether International Space Station can operate after 2016 ref

13.  Conducted robust research and development on future space missions ref

14.  DOD opened access to social media sites (Air Force News). ref

15.  DOD will film all interrogations. ref

16.  Cracked down on tax cheats (exec order). ref

17.  Dismantled the Minerals Management Service, cutting ties between industry and government. ref , ref

18.  Established the USA.gov portal connecting people to the services they require ref

19.  Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act. ref, ref

20.  White House voluntary disclosure policy – visitor access records/450,000 records to date ref ref

Taxes 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Adopted Economic Substance tax doctrine. ref

3.  Cracked down on tax cheats (Exec Order). ref

4.  TARGETED ACTIONS: TAX CREDITS/REDUCTIONS:

5.  Temporarily suspended taxes on unemployment benefits. ref ref

6.  Established consumer tax credit for plug-in hybrid cars. ref, ref

7.  $60 billion in spending and tax incentives for renewable and clean energy. ref

8.  Tax breaks to promote public transit. ref

9.  Extended and indexed the 2007 Alternative Minimum Tax patch. ref

10.  Small business teax credits for the cost of health insurance for employees beginning 1/1/10 (HCR).

11.  2-year temporary tax credit up to $1 billion to encourage investment in new disease prevention and treatment therapies (HCR).

12.  Income floor for medical expense deductions for individuals age 65 and older (and their spouses) remains at 7.5% through 2016; Raise 7.5% floor to 10% for all others (1/1/13) (HCR) ref

13.  Health insurance premium tax credits and subsidies available for those with income up to 4x the federal poverty level(1/1/14) (HCR) ref ref

14.  Accelerated tax benefits for charitable cash contributions for Haiti earthquake relief. ref

15.  TARGETED ACTIONS: TAX ASSESSMENTS/INCREASES:

16.  Made Haiti donations tax deductible for 2009. ref

17.  ncreased penalty tax of 20% on nonqual distributions from HSA and MSA (1/1/11) (HCR) ref

18.  Income tax rates for the highest earners will change from 35 to 39.6 percent. (1/1/11) (HCR) ref

19.  Capital gains tax for the highest earners will change from 15 to 20 percent. (1/1/11) (HCR) ref

20.  2.3% excise tax on manufacturers and importers of certain medical devices (1/1/13) (HCR) ref

21.  For high earners the capital gains tax will rise from 20 to 23.8 percent. (1/1/13) (HCR) ref

22.  A 2.35 percent Medicare payroll tax only on wages over the threshold (an increase of 0.9 percent) (1/1/13) (HCR) ref

23.  Tax increase for corporations with assets of at least $1 billion (1/1/14) (HCR) ref

24.  40% Excise tax on Cadillac health plans (2018) (HCR) ref

25.  TARGETED ACTIONS: TAX ENFORCEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION:

26.  Closed offshore tax safe havens, tax credit loopholes . ref , ref , ref

27.  Employers will report the value of health benefits on W-2s (1/1/11) (HCR) ref

28.  RESULTS:

29.  Tax bills hit lowest level since 1950. ref

30.  Tax refunds up 10 percent due to stimulus. ref

31.  Section curator: ^roytoric

Transparency and Accountability 

1.  BROAD POLICY:

2.  Mandate to follow the standards of the Freedom of Information Act (exec order). ref

3.  Instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible. ref

4.  Unveiled “open government” plans. ref

5.  Federal IT Dashboard, “a website enabling federal agencies & the public to view details of information technology”. ref

6.  TARGETED ACTIONS:

7.  Released presidential records. ref

8.  Imposed limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House. ref ref

9.  Imposed limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration. ref

10.  Closed lobbyist loopholes with respect to the Recovery Act ref

11.  Banned lobbyist gifts to executive employees. ref

12.  Provided more town halls and media access than previous administration. ref, ref

13.  Required health plans to disclose how much of the premium goes to patient care. ref

14.  Established an independent health institute to provide accurate and objective information. ref

15.  Required new hires to sign a form affirming their hiring was not due to political affiliations or contributions.ref, ref

16.  Established a uniform standard for declassifying, safeguarding and classifying national security information (12/29/2009). ref

17.  Created a national declassification center. ref

18.  DOD opened access to social media sites (Air Force News). ref

19.  DOD will film all interrogations. ref

20.  Cracked down on tax cheats (exec order). ref

21.  Dismantled the Minerals Management Service, cutting ties between industry and government. ref , ref

22.  Established the USA.gov portal connecting people to the services they require ref

23.  Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act. ref, ref

24.  RESULTS:

25.  White House voluntary disclosure policy – visitor access records/450,000 records to date ref ref

Recovery, Progress and Change 

1.  Federal deficit shrank 8% year-on-year.

2.  Financial reform has ‘strongest consumer financial protections in history.’ ref

3.  Wall St reform designed to end taxpayer bailouts. ref

4.  Six-month report card: exports in the first four months of 2010 were 17 percent higher than in the first four months of 2009 . ref

5.  Job loss exploded under Bush, improves under Obama. ref

6.  682,370 jobs created under the Recovery Act Between January 1 — March 31,2010. ref, ref, ref

7.  New jobless claims tumble. ref

8.  March payrolls surge by 162,000. ref

9.  March jobs data showed biggest growth in three years .ref

10.  U.S. economy added 90,000 jobs in April . ref

11.  Jobless rates dropped in 34 states and DC (AP). ref

12.  New-home sales saw biggest jump in 47 years. ref, ref

13.  Foreclosures fall 2%. ref

14.  U.S. Economy: Manufacturing grew by most since 2004. ref

15.  U.S. GDP up 3.2% in first quarter, consumer spending showed biggest rise in 3 years . ref

16.  Orders for most durable goods rose. ref

17.  Wholesale inventories and sales rose in March. ref

18.  Consumer confidence highest in 2 years. ref

19.  Start-Up activity now higher than it was during the dotcom boom. ref

20.  Study: almost 5 million charging stations by 2015. ref

21.  Wind power growth up 39% due to government stimulus. ref

22.  Poll: world’s opinion of U.S. has “improved sharply” under Obama.ref

23.  47 nations rise to Obama’s challenge at US nuke summit and agree to four years of non-proliferation efforts. ref

24.  U.S. jail population declined for first time in decades. ref

Miscellaneous 

1.  Got his daughters a puppy! ref

2.  Held first Seder in White House. ref, ref

3.  Appointed at least one Republican to the cabinet. ref

4.  Section curator:

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