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From Reddit's idontreadresponses: (http://www.reddit.com/r/PoliticalDiscussion/comments/zw1cm/what_exactly_were_obamas_promises_in_his_08/):Within his first week, he signed an Executive Order ordering an audit of government contracts, and combating waste and abuse. http://1.usa.gov/dUvbu5[1]Created the post of Chief Performance Officer, whose job it is to make operations more efficient to save the federal government money. http://n.pr/hcgBn1[2]On his first full day, he froze White House salaries. http://on.msnbc.com/ewJUIx[3]He appointed the first Federal Chief Information Officer to oversee federal IT spending. http://www.cio.gov[4]He committed to phasing out unnecessary and outdated weapons systems. To that end, he also signed the Democratic-sponsored Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act, which attempted to put a stop to waste, fraud and abuse in the defense procurement and contracting system. http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/06/gates.budget.cuts[5] http://www.ndia.org/Advocacy/PolicyPublicationsResources/Documents/WSARA-Public-Law-111-23.pdf[6]Through an executive order, he created the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.http://money.cnn.com/2010/02/18/news/economy/obama_debt_commission/index.htm[7]Pushed through and signed the Democratic-sponsored American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, otherwise known as “the stimulus package.” The bill passed, even though only three Republicans voted for it. In a major departure from the previous administration, he launched recovery.gov, a website that allows taxpayers to track spending from the Act. http://1.usa.gov/ibiFSs[8] http://1.usa.gov/e3BJMk[9]The Bush-led Great Recession was costing the economy nearly 800,000 jobs per month by the time President Obama took office. But by the end of his first year, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act created and sustained 2.1 million jobs and stimulated the economyby 3.5%. http://reut.rs/i46CEE[10]Not only did he completed the massive TARP financial and banking rescue plan, he also leaned on the banks and others, and recovered virtually all of the bail-out money. http://1.usa.gov/eA5jVS[11] http://247wallst.com/2011/03/31/tarp-might-make-money/[12]He created the Making Home Affordable home refinancing plan. http://1.usa.gov/goy6zl[13]Oversaw the creation of more jobs in 2010 alone than Bush did in eight years. http://newsjunkiepost.com/2010/10/08/its-official-more-private-sector-jobs-created-in-2010-than-during-entire-bush-years/[14]Along with Democrats, and almost no Republicans, implemented an auto industry rescue plan, and saved as many as 1 million jobs. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/31/content_11102980.htm[15] Many are of the opinion that he saved the entire auto industry, and even the economy of the entire Midwest. http://www.tnr.com/blog/jonathan-cohn/78781/obama-gm-detroit-auto-bailout-worked[16] This resulted in GM returning to its place as the top car company in the world. http://lat.ms/zIJuQx[17] Willard Romney, on the other hand, advocated for the entire industry to go belly-up. http://nyti.ms/k0zp[18]Doubled funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, which is designed to improve manufacturing efficiency. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/7/double-funding-for-the-manufacturing-extension-par/[19]Signed the Democratic-sponsored Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act giving the federal government more tools to investigate and prosecute fraud in every corner of the financial system, and create a bipartisan Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission to investigate the financial fraud that led to the economic meltdown.http://abcn.ws/g18Fe7[20]Signed the Democratic-sponsored Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act, which was designed to to protect consumers from unfair and deceptive credit card practices.http://1.usa.gov/gIaNcS[21]Increased infrastructure spending after years of neglect. http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/stimulus/2009/01/08/poll-americans-strongly-back-increase-in-infrastructure-spending.html[22]Signed the Democratic-sponsored and passed Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, expanding on the Making Home Affordable Program to help millions of Americans avoid preventable foreclosures. The bill also provided $2.2 billion to help combat homelessness, and to stabilize the housing market. http://www.zillow.com/blog/mortgage/2009/05/21/president-obama-signs-helping-families-save-their-homes-act[23]Through the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009, he and Congressional Democrats provided tax credits to first-time home buyers, which helped the U.S. housing market recovery.http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/[24] http://themortgagereports.com/3173/home-buyer-tax-credit-2010[25]Initiated a $15 billion plan designed to encourage increased lending to small businesses.http://1.usa.gov/eu0u0b[26]Created business.gov, which allows for online collaboration between small businesses and experts re managing a business. (The program has since merged with SBA.gov.) http://www.business.gov[27]Played a lead role in getting the G-20 Summit to commit to a $1.1 trillion deal to combat the global financial crisis. http://nyti.ms/gHlgp5[28]Took steps to improve minority access to capital. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/16/increase-minority-access-to-capital[29]Signed an Executive Order instructing federal agencies to review all federal regulations and remove any unnecessary and/or burdensome regulations from the books. http://1.usa.gov/Lpo5bd[30]Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, saved at least 300,000 education jobs, such as teachers, principals, librarians, and counselors that would have otherwise been lost. http://1.usa.gov/ez30Dc[31]Dismantled the Minerals Management Service, thereby cutting ties between energy companies and the government. http://nyti.ms/bw1MLu[32]Along with Congressional Democrats, provided funding to states and the Department of Homeland Security to save thousands of police and firefighter jobs from being cut during the recession. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/188/increase-funding-for-local-emergency-planning[33]Used recovered TARP money to fund programs at local housing finance agencies in California, Florida, Nevada, Arizona and Michigan. http://on.msnbc.com/i1i8eV[34]Crafted an Executive order establishing the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability to assist in financial education for all Americans. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Executive_Order_13530[35]Signed an order banning gifts from lobbyists to anyone in the Executive Branch. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/427/ban-lobbyist-gifts-to-executive-employees/[36]Signed an order banning anyone from working in an agency they had lobbied in previous years, and put strict limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House. http://nyti.ms/gOrznV[37]Held the first-ever first online town hall from the White House, and took questions from the public.http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h2uzQs2_XBgeHotRBvNhY7DR572g[38]Became the first to stream every White House event, live. http://1.usa.gov/kAgOP5[39]Established a central portal for Americans to find service opportunities. http://www.serve.gov[40]Provided the first voluntary disclosure of the White House Visitors Log in history. http://1.usa.gov/hQ7ttV[41]Issued an Executive Order on Presidential Records, which restored the 30-day time frame for former presidents to review records, and eliminated the right for the vice president or family members of former presidents to do the reviews. Provides the public with greater access to historic White House documents, and severely curtails the ability to use executive privilege to shield them. http://1.usa.gov/gUetLb[42]Improved aspects of the Freedom of Information Act, and issued new guidelines to make FOIA more open and transparent when processing FOIA requests. http://1.usa.gov/gjrnp2[43]Ordered 65 executives who took bailout money to cut their own pay until they paid back all bailout money.http://huff.to/eAi9Qq[44]Along with Congressional Democrats, pushed through and got passed Dodd-Frank, one of the largest and most comprehensive Wall Street reforms since the Great Depression. http://www.salon.com/news/2010/05/20/us_financial_overhaul_10[45] http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/barackobama/barackobamawallstreetreformactsigning.htm[46]Through Dodd-Frank legislation, created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau http://1.usa.gov/j5onG[47]Through Dodd-Frank, the Executive Branch fashioned rules that reduce the influence of speculators in the oil market. http://mediamatters.org/research/2012/04/18/dodd-frank-does-regulate-oil-speculation-but-th/185142[48]Fashioned rules so that banks can no longer use YOUR money to invest in high-risk financial instruments that work against their own customers' interests. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20008835-503544.html[49]Supported the concept of allowing stockholders to vote on executive compensation. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20008835-503544.html[50]Endorsed and supported the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act of 2009 that would close offshore tax avoidance loopholes. http://www.financialtaskforce.org/2009/10/27/president-obama-statement-on-foreign-account-tax-compliance-act-of-2009/[51] http://www.financialtaskforce.org/2009/10/27/the-foreign-account-tax-compliance-act-of-2009/[52]Negotiated a deal with Swiss banks that now permits the US government to gain access to the records of criminals and tax evaders. http://www.law.com/jsp/law/international/LawArticleIntl.jsp?id=1202433002570[53]Signed the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act, which closed many of the loopholes that allowed companies to send jobs overseas, and avoid paying US taxes by moving money offshore.http://1.usa.gov/bd1RTq[54]Established a Consumer Protection Financial Bureau designed to protect consumers from financial sector excesses. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20008835-503544.html[55]Oversaw and then signed a Democratic bill constituting the most sweeping food safety legislation since the Great Depression. http://thedc.com/gxkCtP[56]Through the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act, extended the False Claims Act to combat fraud by companies and individuals usingmoney from the TARP and Stimulus programs. http://www.lorman.com/newsletter/article.php?article_id=1297&newsletter_id=274&category_id=8&topic=LIT[57]Along with Congressional Democrats, advocated for and signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which made it a federal crime to assault anyone based on his or her sexual orientation or gender identity. http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/28/hate.crimes/index.html[58]Pushed through, signed and demanded the Pentagon enact a repeal of the discriminatory “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy that forced soldiers to lie in order to be eligible to fight for their country, and put our troops at risk by disqualifying many qualified soldiers from helping. http://articles.cnn.com/2010-12-22/politics/dadt.repeal_1_repeal-openly-gay-men-president-barack-obama?_s=PM:POLITICS[59] http://www.enewspf.com/reader-blogs/view/259-dont-ask-dont-tell-ends-tuesday-forever-in-the-usa.html[60]Extended benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. http://1.usa.gov/g2RLCj[1]Appointed more openly gay officials than anyone in history. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/oct/26/obama-has-appointed-most-us-gay-officials/[2]Appointed first openly transgender Cabinet Official in History. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/01/04/transgender-woman-appointed-to-commerce-department/[3]Changed HUD rules to prohibit gender and sexual orientation-based discrimination in housing http://www.keennewsservice.com/2010/07/07/hud-clarifies-lgbt-housing-discrimination-protections/Changed his mind and publicly expressed support for the right to enter into a same-sex marriage.http://articles.cnn.com/2012-05-09/politics/politics_obama-same-sex-marriage_1_gay-marriage-civil-unions-word-marriage?_s=PM:POLITICS[4]Issued a Presidential Memorandum reaffirming the rights of gay couples to make medical decisions for each other. http://1.usa.gov/aUueGT[5]Wrote and signed an Executive Order establishing a White House Council on Women and Girls to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies evaluate the effect of their policies and programs on women and families.http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/11/obamas-council-on-women-and-girls[6] http://1.usa.gov/rFfqMM[7]Signed the Democratic-sponsored Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which restored basic protections against pay discrimination for women and other workers. This was after the GOP blocked the bill in 2007. Only 5 Republican Senators voted for the bill.[8]Expanded funding for the Violence Against Women Act. http://1.usa.gov/dSbI0x[9]Under his guidance, National Labor Relations Board issued final rules that require all employers to prominently post employees' rights where all employees or prospective employees can see it, including websites and intranets, beginning November 2011. http://1.usa.gov/qu2EhQ[10]Advocated that United Nations adopt a policy supporting gay rights worldwide. http://lat.ms/pQe1RS[11]Issued an order requiring hospitals to allow visitation by same-sex couples. reut.rs/llNJekAppointed Kareem Dale as the first ever Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy.http://1.usa.gov/fi5IY0[12]Helped Democrats in Congress pass and signed the Civil Rights History Act. http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h586/show[13]Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any previous president during his first six months in office. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/nov/19/chain-email/chain-e-mail-claims-obama-has-visited-more-countri[14]As he promised, he gave a speech at a major Islamic forum in Cairo early in his administration.http://nyti.ms/dKvY4g[15]Helped to restore America's reputation around the world as a global leader that does the "right thing" in world affairs, at least according to the rest of the world. http://pewglobal.org/docs/?DocID=12[16] http://pewglobal.org/2010/06/17/2010-pew-global-attitudes-press-conference-video/[17]Re-established and reinforced our partnership with NATO and other allies on strategic international issues.http://1.usa.gov/e7QuDj[18]Closed a number of secret detention facilities. http://nyti.ms/rpUc9l[19]Improved relations with Middle East countries by appointing special envoys. http://1.usa.gov/tiGAGe[20]Pushed for military to emphasize devlopment of foreign language skills. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/380/bolster-the-militarys-ability-to-speak-different-/[21]Offered $400 million to the people living in Gaza, called on both Israel and the Palestinians to stop inciting violence. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/obama-offers-abbas-400m-in-extra-aid-for-gaza-in-flotilla-aftermath-1.295093[22]Refused to give Israel the green light to attack Iran over their possible nuclear program, and thus avoid another war that Republicans wanted. http://articles.cnn.com/2009-07-07/politics/obama.israel.iran_1_iran-military-action-israel?_s=PM:POLITICS[23]Worked with Democratic Congress to make donations to Haiti tax deductible in 2009. http://huff.to/6YkAVY[24]Established a new U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue. http://1.usa.gov/eX28DP[25]Issued Executive Order blocking interference and helping to stabilize Somalia. http://1.usa.gov/hxdf8U[26]Established new, more reasonable policies in our relations with Cuba, such as allowing Cuban-Americans to visit their families and send money to support them. http://n.pr/hY3Kwa[27] http://nyti.ms/emQBde[28]Ordered the closure of the prison at Guantanamo Bay. It was Republicans (and, unfortunately, progressive Democrats) who prevented follow through. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/20/barack-obama-guantanamo-congress-veto[29]Ordered a review of our detention and interrogation policy, and prohibited the use of torture, or what Bush called "enhanced interrogation." He ordered interrogators to limit their actions to the Army Field manual.http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/22/guantanamo.order/index.html[30]Ordered all secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere to be closed. http://bbc.in/h6N9ax[31]Released the Bush torture memos. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/16/torture-memos-bush-administration[32]On his second day in office, he signed a detailed Executive Order that banned torture, reversed all Bush torture policies, and put the United States in compliance with the Geneva Convention. http://1.usa.gov/dL6Zve[33]http://nyti.ms/hzWWys[34]In response to the emerging "Arab Spring," he created a Rapid Response fund, to assist emerging democracies with foreign aid, debt relief, technical assistance and investment packages in order to show that the United States stands with them. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/215/create-a-rapid-response-fund-for-emerging-democrac/[35]Passed the Iran Sanctions Act, to prevent war, and to encourage Iran to give up their nuclear program.http://1.usa.gov/wLtNjb[36]Ended the Iraq War. http://tgr.ph/ru0tyS[37]Authorized and oversaw a secret mission by SEAL Team Six to rescue two hostages held by Somali pirates.[38]Created a comprehensive new strategy for dealing with the international nuclear threat.http://1.usa.gov/gDX1nE[39]Authorized a $1.4 billion reduction in Star Wars program in 2010. http://1.usa.gov/gLFZl2[40]Restarted nuclear nonproliferation talks and built up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols to where they had been before Bush. http://lat.ms/gkcl3i[41]Signed and pushed through ratification a new SALT Treaty. http://politicsreport.com/news/new-salt-treaty-ratified-71-26[42]Negotiated and signed a new START Treaty that will lst until at least 2021. http://1.usa.gov/cI1bC4[43]Through the Defense Authorization Act, reversed the Bush Administration and committed to no permanent military bases in Iraq. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/132/no-permanent-bases-in-iraq[44]Developed first comprehensive strategy with regard to Afghanistan and Pakistan designed to facilitate the defeat of al Qaeda and the withdrawal of most troops, as well as the rebuilding of Afghanistan. http://wapo.st/ee4Xcs[45]Returned our focus to Afghanistan, stabilized the country, and began the process of withdrawing our troops from the country. http://www.seattlepi.com/national/politico/article/Obama-to-withdraw-troops-from-Afghanistan-1434332.php[46]Negotiated a deal with Afghan govenment, to withdraw troops and military support, while assisting in rebuilding and modernizing of the country. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/05/21/obama-s-plan-to-announce-afghanistan-withdrawal-at-nato-summit-is-shrewd-politics.html[47]Took steps to severely weaken al Qaeda and limited their ability to terrorize the world. http://yhoo.it/n5lXs6[48]Negotiated and signed a nuclear nonproliferation treaty with India. http://1.usa.gov/aHp0Cn[49]Took decisive action to use NATO to limit the slaughter of innocents in Libya, so that the Libyan people could topple a despotic government and determine their own fate. http://aje.me/qAh4Sj[50]Along with Congressional Democrats, not only reauthorized families of fallen soldiers to be able to visit when the body arrives at Dover AFB, but also provided funding for it. Ended the media blackout on coverage of the return of fallen soldiers. http://nyti.ms/glqN66[51] http://bbc.in/gWSSkAFunded Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with an extra $1.4 billion to improve veterans’ services.http://1.usa.gov/huhqfo[1]Provided active combat troops with better body armor. http://articles.cnn.com/2009-04-09/politics/obama.war.funding_1_afghanistan-al-qaeda-and-taliban-war-spending?_s=PM:POLITICS[2]Created Joint Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record program for military personnel, in order to improve the quality of their medical care. http://1.usa.gov/f4yaxW[3]Put an end to the Bush-era stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan beyond their enlistment date. (personal note: my son will be in harm’s way for six fewer months with Obama as president, so you know I love this one.) http://nyti.ms/e2YQ7Q[4]Along with Congressional Democrats, supported and signed Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act, which made more money available to enable better medical care for veterans.http://1.usa.gov/fN4ur1[5]Along with Congressional Democrats, ushered through largest spending increase in 30 years for Department of Veterans Affairs, with money to go to improved medical facilities, and to assist states in acquiring or constructing state nursing homes and extended care facilities. http://1.usa.gov/gY8O3x[6]Created the Green Vet Initiative, which provided special funding to the Labor Department to provide veterans with training in green jobs. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/466/create-a-green-vet-initiative-to-promote-environ[7]Initiated and signed a recruitment and employment plan to get more veterans into government jobs.http://www.fedshirevets.gov/pdf/Vets_Initiative_Strategic_Plan.pdf[8]Oversaw a $4.6 billion expansion of the Veterans Administration budget to pay for more mental health professionals. http://www4.va.gov/budget/products.asp[9]Signed the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act, which ensures that spouses of military personnel who are forced to move because their spouse is posted for military duty will be able to avoid state taxes in their temporary residence. http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/Web/20092342.htm[10]Repeatedly increased funding for student financial aid, and at the same time cut the banks completely out of the process. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/275/expand-pell-grants-for-low-income-students/[11] http://www.ourfuture.org/report/2009031325/obama-s-budget-supporting-students-not-banks[12] http://www.dailycal.org/article/108071/proposed_federal_budget_will_increase_financial_ai[13]Reformed student loan program, to make it possible for students to refinance at a lower rate.http://nyti.ms/dMvHOt[14]Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act , invested heavily in elementary, secondary and post-secondary education. http://1.usa.gov/gGRIAr[15]Created the Race to the Top program, which encouraged states to come up with effective school reforms and rewards the best of them. http://valerievisconti.com/index.php?/work/race-to-the-top-making-history/[16]Oversaw major expansion of broadband availability in K-12 schools nationwide http://articles.cnn.com/2010-07-01/politics/obama.broadband.connection_1_broadband-services-broadband-access-new-businesses?_s=PM:POLITICS[17] ,Oversaw major expansion in school construction. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2009/02/in_his_first_ever_press.html[18]Also through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, he put $5 billion into early education, including Head Start. http://1.usa.gov/tzT2Rr[19]Signed the Democratic-sponsored Post-9/11 GI Bill, also known as GI Bill 2.0 http://military-education.military.com/2011/01/president-signs-gi-bill-2-0/[20]Oversaw expansion of the Pell Grants program, to expand opportunity for low income students to go to college.http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/275/expand-pell-grants-for-low-income-students/[21]Along with Democratic Congress, passed and signed Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which provided an extra $12.2 billion in funds. http://1.usa.gov/dQvtUe[22]Took major new steps to protec students from ineffective for-profit colleges through "gainful employment" measures, whereby schools have to demonstrate that its students actually find work to get federal aid.http://1.usa.gov/jkzQe2[23]With First Lady Michelle Obama, passed the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, which will improve nutrition in schools and make children healthier. http://1.usa.gov/GAXkSk[24]Restored federal agencies such as FEMA to the point that they have been able to manage a huge number of natural disasters successfully. http://www.independentmail.com/news/2010/nov/10/obama-declares-record-number-federal-natural-disas/[25]Authorized Navy SEALS to successfully secure the release of a US captain held by Somali pirates and increased patrols off the Somali coast. http://nyti.ms/efBO7B[26]Has repeatedly beefed up border security http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/286/secure-the-borders/[27]Ordered and oversaw the Navy SEALS operation that killed Osama bin Laden. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/901/we-will-kill-bin-laden/[28]Created a Presidential Memorandum to restore scientific integrity in government decision-making.http://1.usa.gov/g2SDuw[29]Opened up process for fast-tracking patent approval for green energy projects. http://cleantechnica.com/2010/11/11/green-innovation-getting-more-support-from-fast-patent-approval-process/[30]Eliminated Bush-era restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, and provided increased federal support for biomedical and stem cell research. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/09/obama-administration-stem-cell-funding[31] http://ti.me/edezge[32]Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, committed more federal funding, about $18 billion, to support non-defense science and research labs. http://nyti.ms/fTs9t7[33]Signed Democratic-sponsored Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, the first comprehensive attempt to improve the lives of Americans living with paralysis. http://www.christopherreeve.org/site/c.ddJFKRNoFiG/b.4442889/k.EC4B/Christopher_and_Dana_Reeve_Paralysis_Act.htm[34]Expanded the Nurse-Family Partnership program, which provides home visits by trained registered nurses to low-income expectant mothers and their families, to cover more first-time mothers. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/229/expand-the-nurse-family-partnership-to-all-low-inc/[35]Obama EPA reveresed research ethics standards which allowed humands to be used as "guinea pigs" in tests of the effects of chemicals, to comply with numerous codes of medical ethics. http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/06/chemical-testing/[36]Conducted a cyberspace policy review. http://1.usa.gov/gmbdvC[37]Provided financial support for private sector space programs. http://www.commercialspaceflight.org/?p=458[38]Oversaw enhanced earth mapping, to provide valuable data for agricultural, educational, scientific, and government use. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/345/enhance-earth-mapping[39]Along with Democrats in Congress, ushered through and signed a bill authorizing FDA to regulate tobacco.http://on.msnbc.com/fiKViB[40] As a result, the FDA has Ordered Tobacco Companies to Disclose Cigarette Ingredients and banned sale of cigarettes falsely labeled as “light.”Through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, provided $500 million for Health Professions Training Programs. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/76/expand-funding-to-train-primary-care-providers-and/[41]Increased funding for community-based prevention programs. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/77/increase-funding-to-expand-community-based-prevent/[42]Oversaw a 50% decrease in cost of prescription drugs for seniors. http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-4872&tab=summary[43]http://1.usa.gov/fVNkt9[44]Eliminated the Bush-era practice of forbidding Medicare from negotiating with drug companies on price.http://www.pharmatimes.com/article/11-04-15/US_govt_will_negotiate_Medicare_drug_prices_says_Obama.aspx[45]Two weeks after taking office, signed Democratic-sponsored Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act, which increased the number of children covered by health insurance by 4 million. http://themiddleclass.org/bill/children039s-health-insurance-program-reauthorization-act-2009[46]Urged Congress to investigate Anthem Blue Cross for raising premiums 39% without explanation. Democratic Rep. Waxman responded by launching a probe, and Anthem Blue Cross put increase on hold for two months.http://yhoo.it/e8Tj9C[47]Ushered through and signed Affordable Care Act, which expanded health insurance coverage to at least 30 million more people, ended many common insurance company practices that are often detrimental to those with coverage. He also established healthcare.gov, so that taxpayers could keep up with developments.http://www.healthcare.gov/[48]Through ACA, allowed children to be covered under their parents’ policy until they turned 26.http://nyti.ms/fNB26V[49]Through the ACA, provided tax breaks to allow 3.5 million small business to provide health insurance to their employees, and 29 million people will receive tax breaks to help them afford health insurance.http://nyti.ms/fNB26V[50]Through the ACA, expanded Medicaid to those making up to 133% of the federal poverty level.http://nyti.ms/ekMWpo[51]Through the ACA, health insurance companies now have to disclose how much of your premium actually goes to pay for patient care. http://nyti.ms/fNB26V[52]Provisions in theACA have already resulted in Medicare costs actually declining slightly this fiscal year, for the first time in many years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The increase in 2011 was 4%, which is very low compared to the average 12% annual inflation rate during previous 40 years.http://1.usa.gov/oMxpTh[53]Through the ACA, expanded space exploration and discovery options to more players http://www.commercialspaceflight.org/2009/08/nasa-announces-plan-to-invest-in-commercial-crew-concepts/[54]Worked to provide affordable, high-quality child care to working families. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/244/provide-affordable-high-quality-child-care[1]Cracked down on companies that were previously denying sick pay, vacation and health insurance, and Social Security and Medicare tax payments through abuse of the employee classification of independent contractor.http://nyti.ms/fOGLcj[2]Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act , cut taxes for 95% of America's working families.http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2008/sep/18/barack-obama/a-credit-for-workers-cuts-taxes-for-middle-class[3]Tax rates for average working families are the lowest since 1950. http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/robert-schlesinger/2011/02/08/under-obama-taxes-reach-lowest-level-since-truman[4]Extended and fully funded the patch for the Alternative Minimum Tax for 10 years. http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/01/alternative-minimum-tax-now-part-of-the-senate-stimulus.php[5]Extended discounted COBRA health coverage for the unemployed from 9 months to 15 months, and he’s extended unemployment benefits several times. http://aol.it/evtVxD[6] http://nyti.ms/emrqKJ[7]http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/05/news/economy/Extending_unemployment_benefits/index.htm[8] http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Obama+compromises+with+extend+cuts+unemployment+benefits/3941758/story.html[9]Provided a $20 billion increase for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps).http://nyti.ms/gfLqyM[10]Signed an Executive Order that established the White House Office of Urban Affairs. http://wapo.st/eWECA8[11]Fast-tracked regulations to allow states to enact fuel efficiency standards that exceeded federal standards.http://nyti.ms/e8e94x[12]Fast-tracked increased fuel economy standards for vehicles beginning with the 2011 model year. It was the first time such standards had been increased in a decade. http://politi.co/hiaPKM[13]Oversaw establishment of an Energy Partnership for the Americas, to create more markets for American-made biofuels and green energy technologies. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/225/establish-an-energy-partnership-for-the-americas/[14]Obama EPA reversed a Bush-era decision to allow the largest mountaintop removal project in US history.http://cleantechnica.com/2011/01/13/obama-administration-reverses-largest-appalachian-mountaintop-removal-permit-in-us-history/[15]Ordered the Department of Energy to implement more aggressive efficiency standards for common household appliances. http://1.usa.gov/g3MTbu[16]Ordered energy plants to prepare to produce at least 15% of all energy through renewable resources like wind and solar, by 2021. http://reut.rs/fV155p[17] (As you can see, Republicans are trying hard to kill it.)Oversaw the creation of an initiative that converts old factories and manufacturing centers into new clean technology centers. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/310/establish-program-to-convert-manufacturing-centers/[18]Bypassed Republican opposition in Congress and ordered EPA to begin regulating and measuring carbon emissions. http://www.energyboom.com/policy/us-epa-begin-regulating-carbon-emissions[19]Obama EPA ruled that CO2 is a pollutant. http://cleantechnica.com/2009/12/06/epa-wields-timely-stick-ruling-co2-a-public-danger-before-copenhagen-climate-decision/[20]Oversaw doubling federal spending on clean energy research. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/495/double-federal-spending-for-research-on-clean-fuel/[21]Pushed through a tax credit to help people buy plug-in hybrid cars. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/459/enact-tax-credit-for-consumers-for-hybrid-cars/[22]Created a program to develop renewable energy projects on the waters of our Outer Continental Shelf that will produce electricity from wind, wave, and ocean currents. http://1.usa.gov/fgfRWq[23]Reengaged in the climate change and greenhouse gas emissions agreements talks, and proposed one himself. He also addressed the U.N. Climate Change Conference, officially reversing the Bush era stance that climate change was a “hoax.” http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/87/i51/8751notw11.html[24][25] http://nyti.ms/hfeqvv[26]Fully supported the initial phase of the creation of a legally-binding treaty to reduce mercury emissions worldwide. http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/feb2009/2009-02-16-02.asp[27]Required states to provide incentives to utilities to reduce their energy consumption. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/475/require-states-to-provide-incentives-for-utilities/[28]Following the neglect of Bush’s eight year reign, he reengaged in a number of treaties and agreements designed to protect the Antarctic. http://jonbowermaster.com/blog/2009/04/obama-calls-for-limits-on-antarctic-tourism[29]Created tax write-offs for purchases of hybrid automobiles, and later he and Democrats morphed that program into one that includes electric cars. http://www.hybridcars.com/federal-incentives.html[30]Mandated that federal government fleet purchases be for fuel-efficient American vehicles, and encouraged that federal agencies support experimental, fuel-efficient vehicles. http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/2009/06/gsa-buys-210-million-worth-of-fuel-efficient-vehicles-from-us-carmakers.html[31]http://1.usa.gov/fLWq5c[32] http://1.usa.gov/hmUSbk[33]Oversaw and pushed through amendment to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 authorizing advances from Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. http://1.usa.gov/yTRYVo[34]Actively tried to amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to eliminate the liability limits for those companies responsible for large oil spills. http://nyti.ms/bxjDi3[35]Initiated Criminal and Civil inquiries into the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. http://nyti.ms/bVuB7a[36]Through his EPA, he asserted federal legal supremacy, and barred Texas from authorizing new refinery permits on its own. http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/business/article/EPA-bars-Texas-authority-to-issue-refinery-730499.php?&showAllComments=y[37]Strengthened the Endangered Species Act. http://www.stopextinction.org/media/releases/89-release-president-obama-restores-endangered-species-protections.html[38]Obama EPA improved boiler safety standards to improve air quality, and save 6500 lives per year.http://www.nrdc.org/media/2011/110223a.asp[39]Through the EPA, attemped to take steps to severely limit the use of antibiotics in livestock feed, to increase their efficacy in humans. http://www.grist.org/article/food-FDA-takes-steps-to-limit-use-of-antibiotics-in-livest[40]Through new EPA regulations, he created a pretext for closing the dirtiest power plants in the country, by limiting emissions of mercury and other toxic gasses. http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/200833-obama-praises-epa-mercury-rule[41]Increased funding for National Parks and Forests by 10% http://www.npca.org/media_center/press_releases/2009/park_funding_102909.html[42]Announced greatly improved commercial fuel efficiency standards. http://1.usa.gov/oQiC1K[43]Announced a huge increase in average fuel economy standards from 27.5mpg in 2010 to 35.5mpg starting in 2016 and 54.5 starting in 2025 http://1.usa.gov/qtghsW[44]Expanded trade agreements to include stricter labor and environmental agreements such as NAFTA.http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/8/include-environmental-and-labor-standards-in-trade/[45]Oversaw funding of the design of a new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History, which is scheduled to open on the National Mall in 2015. He protected the funding during the recent budget negotiations.http://on.fb.me/fD0EVO[46] http://thedailyrecord.com/2011/04/18/most-smithsonian-funding-intact-under-budget-deal/[47]Oversaw and passed increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/promise/327/support-increased-funding-for-the-nea/[48]Nominated Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. Sotomayor is the first Hispanic Justice in the court’s history, and the women represent only the third and fourth women to serve on the court, out of a total of 112 justices. http://huff.to/eOChg6[49] http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2010/aug/05/elena-kagan-us-supreme-court[50]Appointed the most diverse Cabinet in history, including more women than any other incoming president.http://www.diversityinc.com/content/1757/article/6319[51]Eliminated federal funding for abstinence-only education, and rescinded the global gag rule.http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/20/bush-teen-pregnancy-cdc-report[52] http://www.guttmacher.org/media/inthenews/2009/01/23/index.html[53]Loosened the rules and allowed the 14 states that legalized medical marijuana to regulate themselves without federal interference. http://huff.to/eQfa7j[54]Signed national service legislation, increasing funding for national service groups, including triple the size of the Americorps program. http://articles.cnn.com/2009-04-21/politics/obama.service_1_summer-of-service-program-americorps-national-service?_s=PM:POLITICS[55]Signed an Executive Order that will speed up deployment of a more comprehensive broadband infrastructure.http://1.usa.gov/M7rVpe[56]Signed an Executive Order creating jobs immediately by instructing them to reduce the time needed for review and permitting of infrastructure projects. http://1.usa.gov/GHxaYt[57]Signed a bill that provided $4.3 billion in additional assistance to 9/11 first reponders. http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2011/01/03/911-responder-bill-becomes-law[58]Signed an Executive Order pledging support for efforts to end the global problem of violence against women and girls. http://1.usa.gov/MHTRVU[59]Despite the characterizations of some, Obama’s success rate in winning congressional votes on issues was an unprecedented 96.7% for his first year in office. Though he is often cited as superior to Obama, President Lyndon Johnson’s success rate in 1965 was only 93%. http://n.pr/i3d7cYThrough the Connect America Fund, pushed through and received FCC approval for a move of $8 billion in subsidies away from telephone landlines to assist lower-income rural families in accessing broadband.http://lat.ms/vhRUEs[55]

Granted much of this was prior to our Co-Vid gift from China…….but where there was some fall off, we are returning to where we were pre co-vid.EconomyPresident Trump’s policies have put the American economy into high gear.• Since President Trump was elected 7.3 million jobs have been created.• In 2019, 2.1 new jobs were created. o In 2019, 1.5 million jobs were added for women. This accounts for more than 50% of total job gains for the first time ever.• Over 500,000 manufacturing jobs have been created since the President was elected.• The current unemployment rate is 3.5%, a 50-year low.• Highlights of December’s jobs report: o 174,000 jobs were created in December.o December marked the 22nd consecutive month that the unemployment rate has been at or below 4%.o For 22 consecutive months, wage growth has been near or above 3%.• Throughout the Trump Administration we have seen record low unemployment for women, African Americans, Latino Americans, and Asian Americans. In December: o African American unemployment rate was at 5.9%.o The Hispanic American unemployment rate remained at a near record low of 4.2%.o The Asian American unemployment rate was 2.5%, near a historic low.o The adult women’s unemployment rate hit 3.2%, the lowest since 1953.• The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit record highs over 100 times under President Trump.• Under President Trump, 7 million people have come off food stamps.• Under President Trump’s leadership, Congress passed historic tax cuts and relief for hard-working Americans. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is the first major tax reform signed in 30 years. o As a result of the historic tax cuts, nearly 9,000 Opportunity Zones were created in all 50 states, DC, and 5 territories. Opportunity Zones will spur $100 billion in private capital investment and impact nearly 35 million Americans.o The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act increased the Child Tax Credit by 100% keeping more money in the pockets of hardworking mothers.• Economic confidence rebounded to record highs under President Trump because his pro-growth policies have and continue to put American workers and businesses first.• President Trump has rolled back unnecessary job-killing regulations at a historic pace. o The Administration has cut 8 and a half regulations for every new rule.▪ This far exceeds the promise made to cut 2 regulations for every 1 regulation added.o Regulatory costs have been slashed by nearly $50 billion and have saved taxpayers $220 billion once actions are implemented.o The deregulation efforts will save American households an estimated $3,100 per year.o The Administration formed the Governors’ Initiative on Regulatory Innovation which aims to better align state and Federal efforts to cut additional unnecessary regulations and costs.ImmigrationPresident Trump is working to secure our border.• President Trump is fulfilling his promise to build a border wall, with sizable portions already finished or under construction. o It’s expected that 450 miles will be finished by the end of 2020.o The Trump Administration has constructed 100 miles of new border wall system.o Currently, 167 miles of wall is under construction in high entry sectors such as San Diego, El Centro, El Paso, and Yuma.o The new wall has contributed to a 56% overall decrease in the number of illegal migrant arrivals at the border.• Under President Trump, the U.S. Border Patrol has arrested hundreds of members of dangerous gangs.• The President has strongly enforced our nation’s immigration laws by cracking down on illegal immigration and taken aim at “sanctuary cities.”• President Trump has called on Congress to close dangerous loopholes such as “Catch and Release,” end chain migration, and end the visa lottery program which enables illegal immigration.• The Administration is looking to close the Flores Settlement Agreement that requires the government to release families into the country after 20 days. This loophole has been exploited by smugglers who use children as pawns to enter our country.• We are closing asylum loopholes – recently, the Administration instituted a new rule requiring migrants who come to our border to have previously applied and been denied to a country they passed through.• The Trump Administration announced they are releasing a “Public Charge Rule” that will ensure non-citizens do not abuse our nation’s public benefits. This rule went into effect on 10/15/19.• President Trump was successful in his efforts to get Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries to step up and help stop the crisis at the border. o President Trump’s successful negotiations have led to 28% drop in migrants taken into custody in June.• In May, President Trump announced a new immigration proposal that would modernize our system and secure the border.• The Administration has made it a priority to end human trafficking and is using many resources to do so.o The Administration provided funding to support the National Human Trafficking Hotline.o The Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team (ACTeam) initiative more than doubled convictions of human traffickers and increased the number of defendants charged in ACTeam districts.Foreign PolicyPresident Trump has restored our nation’s standing in the world and is standing up to bad actors.• The United States has successfully decimated ISIS.• Under President Trump, the number one terrorist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was taken out.• President Trump ordered the killing of Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force and an evil, ruthless, and deadly terrorist.• President Trump fulfilled his promise to name Jerusalem Israel’s capital city and moved the U.S. Embassy• President Trump held two historic summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, further demonstrating the Administration’s commitment to a denuclearized Korean peninsula.• President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Iran Nuclear Agreement and instituted the toughest sanctions in history to drive the regime’s oil exports to zero. o In June 2019, President Trump signed an executive order that authorizes expanded sanctions against Iran.• The Administration has vigorously and quickly enforced red lines against regimes and individuals that use chemical weapons.• The Trump Administration has imposed sanctions on Russian entities and individuals previously indicted for their roles in Russian interference in our election.• The Trump Administration imposed hard-hitting sanctions against Iran’s national bank.TradePresident Trump is delivering on his promise to correct trade imbalances.• The Trump Administration had taken unprecedented steps to modernize and improve trading practices and negotiate freer, fairer, and reciprocal trade agreements with our global allies.• President Trump has kept his promise to deliver a modern and rebalanced trade deal to replace NAFTA. The United States – Mexico – Canada Agreement (USMCA) o The USCMA will spur economic growth, create 176,000 jobs, add $68.2 billion to the U.S. economy, and raise wages.• President Trump negotiated a new United States-Japan trade deal with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Japan is one of our strongest economic partners and this trade deal builds on that partnership. It is a big win for American farmers, ranchers, workers, and businesses.• The Administration revised the United States -Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) to make it more beneficial to American workers.• The President and European Union President Juncker agreed to a new trade deal that strengthens and reforms our trade relationship. The agreement:o Works toward zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers, zero subsidies on non-automotive industrial goods.o Makes it easier for the EU to purchase liquefied gas.o Reduces trade and bureaucratic obstacles between the U.S. and the EU.o Addresses unfair trade practices.• President Trump agreed to a phase one trade deal with China that includes a strong enforcement mechanism.• President Trump withdrew the United States from the flawed Trans-Pacific Partnership.• President Trump has forced our allies to recommit to NATO.• The Trump Administration has protected farmers from unfair trade practices by authorizing $12 billion in aid to the American agricultural heartland under The Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act.JudicialPresident Trump continues to reshape the Federal judiciary at a record pace and is following through on his promise to appoint judges who will uphold the Constitution and rule of law.• President Trump continues to reshape the Federal judiciary at a record pace.• President Trump has installed more federal court judges than any president in the past four decades.• The President is following through on his promise to appoint judges who will uphold the Constitution and rule of law for generations to come.• President Trump has nominated, and the Senate has confirmed a grand total of 187 Article III judges. o 2 Supreme Court Justices – Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh.o 50 Circuit Court judges.o 133 District Court judges.o 2 Court of International Trade Judges• President Trump’s judicial confirmations have “flipped” 3 – 2nd, 3rd, 11th Circuits - federal appeals courts to Republican.• In 2018, President Trump broke the record for the most circuit court of appeals judges (29) confirmed in the first 2 years of a presidency.Health CarePresident Trump has reduced the cost of health care and taken significant steps to fight the opioid epidemic.• President Trump has prioritized fixing our broken health care system and worked with Congress to implement a system that works for all Americans.• The President has made it clear patients with preexisting conditions will be protected.• The individual mandate penalty has been eliminated.• Association Health Plans have been expanded.• Short-term, limited duration insurance plans have been extended.• President Trump is working to implement his plan to lower prescription drugs.• Under the Trump Administration, we have seen the first ever decline of average benchmark premiums on the federal health care exchange.• The President signed an Executive Order to improve seniors’ health care and improve the fiscal sustainability of Medicare.• Reforms to expand Medicare Advantage options and Health Reimbursement Accounts have been expanded.• President Trump mobilized his entire Administration to address the drug addiction and opioid abuse by declaring a Nationwide Public Health Emergency.• President Trump signed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act to fight the opioid epidemic.• The Administration launched http://FindTreatment.gov a public resource to help combat substance abuse.• President Trump signed an Executive Order that increases price and quality transparency.• The Administration has committed to ending surprise billing.• HHS is finalizing a rule that will require hospitals to make prices publicly available online and in a more consumer-friendly format.• The Administration has proposed a rule to require insurance companies and group health plans to provide enrollees with cost estimates.• The Trump Administration has promoted innovation and solutions to expand treatment options for Americans living with disease including HIV/AIDS, kidney disease, pediatric cancer, Alzheimer’s, and more.• The Administration launched a program to provide the HIV prevention drug PrEP to uninsured patients for free.• Signed the bipartisan Tobacco-Free Youth Act to raise the nationwide age for purchasing tobacco and vaping products to 21 years old.• Costly Obamacare taxes were repealed including the “Cadillac tax” and the Medical Device Tax.EnvironmentPresident Trump is promoting a clean and healthy environment for all Americans.• The President and the Administration are continuing to pursue policies that encourage environmental protection while promoting economic growth. o Since 2005, our energy related carbon emissions have declined more than any other country. This is expected to decrease in 2019 and 2020.• Our nation’s environmental record is one of the strongest in the world. o According to the White House, from 1970 to 2018, the combined emissions of the most common air pollutants fell 74% while the economy grew over 275%.• We have the cleanest air on record and remain a global leader for access to clean drinking water. The President has taken important steps to restore, preserve, and protect our land, air, and waters. o The Save our Seas Act was signed into law in 2018. This law reauthorized the NOAA Marine Debris Program, promoting international action to reduce marine debris and authorizing cleanup and response actions that may be needed.o The EPA has taken significant steps to clean up our contaminated sites and hazardous sites. ▪ In FY2018, the EPA completed cleanup work on 22 Superfund sites from the National Priorities list. This is the largest number in one year since 2005.o The EPA is more efficiently implementing air quality standards that will better protect the environment and human health.o Just this year, President Trump signed legislation designating 1.3 million new acres of wilderness - the largest public lands legislation in a decade.o The Department of the Interior proposed to open more than 1 million acres of land for expanded hunting and fishing access.o The President took important action to improve management of forests to help prevent devastating forest fires.• The President’s management of our nation’s lands promotes conservation while encouraging good stewardship and expanding recreational opportunities.• President Trump issued changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to reduce regulation and allow for infrastructure and transportation projects to move forward.EnergyPresident Trump’s policies have begun to unleash our nation’s energy potential.• President Trump signed an Executive Order to expand offshore oil and gas drilling and open more leases to develop offshore drilling.• The Administration acted aggressively to increase exports of energy resources to the global market and allowed financing for coal and fossil energy projects.• President Trump has approved the infrastructure and provided the resources needed to unleash Oil and gas production in the U.S. o The Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines were approved, supporting an estimated total of 42,000 jobs and $2 billion in wages.o The New Burgos Pipeline, a cross-border project that will export U.S. gasoline to Mexico, was approved.o The Trump Administration reversed President Obama’s moratorium on new leases for oil and gas development on Federal lands.• The President rescinded President Obama’s costly Clean Power Plan.• The President proposed the Affordable Clean Energy Rule to reduce greenhouse gasses, empower states, promote energy independence, and facilitate economic growth and job creation.• The Administration has rescinded many costly Obama-Era regulations including the methane emissions rule that would cost American energy developers an estimated $530 million annually.• The President announced his intent to withdrawal the U.S. from the unfair Paris Climate Accord.AgriculturePresident Trump and his Administration continue to help our farmers.• In 2018, President Trump signed a sweeping new Farm Bill into law. o The Farm Bill provides support and stability to our farmers, expands crop insurance, doubles how much farmers can borrow and helps open new markets for our farmers.• The President authorized the year-round sale of E15 gasoline which provided a boost to America’s corn growing communities.• Red tape that has harmed American farmers have been rolled back. o This includes eliminating the burdensome Obama-era Waters of the United States rule.• The historic Tax Cuts and Jobs Act protected family farmers from the estate tax. o Thanks to the President’s historic tax cuts legislation, the effective tax rate for farmers is expected to fall from 17.2% to 13.9%.• President Trump is standing up for America’s farmers by negotiating fairer, freer, and more reciprocal trade deals that remove barriers and open markets for American farmers. o President Trump negotiated the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), getting a better deal for American farmers and ranchers. ▪ The USMCA will increase America’s Agricultural exports by $2.2 billion.▪ The USMCA will eliminates Canada’s discriminatory programs that allow low-priced dairy products to undersell our nation’s dairy producers.▪ USMCA includes expanded market access for dairy products, eggs, and poultry.o In a deal with the European Union, American soybean exports will be increased.o President Trump reached a new trade agreement with Japan. As a result, Japan will eliminate or reduce tariffs on approximately $7.2 billion in U.S. agricultural exports.o President Trump continues to stand up to China and their unfair trade practices which target our farmers. ▪ The Administration provided $16 billion in funds to support our farmers against unfair trade retaliation.• The Trump Administration continue to support and expand markets for America’s farmers.• Japan’s market has been opened to all American beef.• Restrictions have been eliminated on: o American pork exports to Argentina.o American beef to Brazil.o Idaho chipping potatoes to Japan.o American poultry to South Korea.• President Trump signed an Executive Order directing Federal agencies to streamline the agricultural biotechnology regulatory process.• The Trump Administration is working to promote connectivity in rural American by investing in rural broadband.• President Trump is working to protect our Nation’s forests.o In 2018, the President signed an Executive Order aimed at increasing responsible forest management and coordinating Federal, State, tribal, and local assets to prevent and combat wildfires.o In order to preserve the health of our forests, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 was signed into law.• President Trump and his administration continue to provide necessary disaster relief to impacted areas.EducationPresident Trump and his administration are putting students and families first.• The President understands the importance of education and continues to declare the last week in January National School Choice Week.• The President signed a historic Executive Order that promotes and protects free speech on college campuses.• President Trump and his Administration support the Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act.• In 2019, President Trump signed a memorandum that eliminates 100% of student loan debt for permanently disabled veterans.• The President continues to work with the Department of Education to expand transparency and give students expanded access to vital information about the career outcomes of the programs they enroll in.• President Trump has made Historically Black Colleges and Universities a priority, including appropriating more money to HBCUs in one year than any other president and establishing a Presidential Board of Advisors on HBCUs. o President Trump signed the FUTURE Act into law. The law permanently funds HBCUs and simplifies the FAFSA application• The President is committed to expanding and strengthening education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematic (STEM). o President Trump issued a presidential memorandum encouraging the Department of Education to promote STEM, especially Computer Science.o President Trump directed more than $200 million per year to technology education grants for women and programs that encourage participation in STEM careers.o The President signed the bipartisan reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. This law provides the necessary training for students and workers to succeed in the 21st century economy.o The President donated his 2017 second quarter salary to the Department of Education. The funds were used to host a STEM focused camp for students.o President Trump signed the INSPIRE Act which encourages NASA to have more women and girls participate in STEM and pursue careers in aerospace.• The President signed an Executive Order to expand apprenticeships in America.• President Trump has encouraged state and federal lawmakers to expand school choice.• The administration lowered regulatory hurdles and restored flexibility to schools with respect to menus in their cafeterias.• President Trump is committed to making our schools safer.o President Trump encouraged passage of the STOP School Violence Act to provide funding grants to schools to improve security measures.o The Administration established a Commission on School Safety to examine ways to make schools safer for all students and teachers.• Additionally, the Administration proposed a new $5 billion annual tax credit to promote school choice. This move is supported by 2/3rds of black Americans.Military and VeteransPresident Trump is protecting America and our allies by rebuilding our military and ensuring our veterans receive the care they deserve.• President Trump has restored American military strength.• Under President Trump’s leadership, Congress passed three historic National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAA). o The FY2020 NDAA includes a much needed 3.1% pay raise for our troops.o The FY2020 NDAA establishes the United States Space Force to ensure American dominance in space.• President Trump signed the Veterans Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act to allow senior officials in the Department of Veterans Affairs (V.A.) to fire failing employees and establish safeguards to protect whistleblowers.• The President signed the V.A. Choice and Quality Employment Act of 2017 to authorize $2.1 billion in additional funds for the Veterans Choice Program (VCP).• The Trump Administration created a new White House V.A. Hotline, staffed by veterans and family members.• The Administration has secured a record $8.6 billion in funding for mental health services with the goal of ending the tragedy of veteran suicide.• The Trump Administration has created the PREVENTS initiative, a task force aimed at unifying the efforts of government, businesses, and nonprofit groups to help our veterans.• The President has secured $73.1 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs - the highest funding for the VA in history.• Veterans Affairs increased transparency and accountability by launching an online “Access and Quality Tool.” This provides veterans a way to access wait time and quality of care data.• In 2019, President Trump signed a memorandum that eliminates 100% of student loan debt for permanently disabled veterans. o The President also called upon all 50 states to ensure that disabled veterans do not pay state tax on their forgiven debts.• The unemployment rate among veterans is at a record low of 2.8%. o 9.1 million veterans are employed.o The number of unemployed veterans has been reduced by 40% under President Trump.• In November 2019, President Trump became the first president to walk in the New York City Veterans Day Parade.WomenUnder President Trump’s administration, women have been empowered to reach their economic potential.• Women have experienced record low unemployment under President Trump.• Since he was elected, President Trump has created over 4.3 million new jobs for women. o In 2019, 1.5 million jobs were added for women. This accounts for more than 50% of total job gains for the first time ever.o In December, the adult women’s unemployment rate hit 3.2%, the lowest since 1953.o The unemployment rate among women has been under 4% for 18 straight months.• During the President’s first year in office, the number of American women in poverty fell by nearly 600,000.• Thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the child tax credit was doubled to $2,000 per child.• President Trump was the first president to include a paid family leave policy 2 budget proposals.• The FY2020 NDAA included paid parental leave for federal workers.• The President and his Administration are committed to keeping families and communities safe.• The Trump Administration has prioritized empowering women to pursue careers and realize their economic potential. o President Trump directed more than $200 million per year to technology education grants for women and programs that encourage participation in STEM careers.o President Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the National Council For The American Worker.o Over 300 companies and associations of all size and industry have signed the Administration’s Pledge to America’s Workers, promising to create more than 14 million education, training, and skill-building opportunities over the next 5 years.o Ivanka Trump created the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative (W-GDP) to help 50 million women in 22 developing countries realize their economic potential by 2025.• Additional Trump Administration efforts to empower women globally include: o The Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi): Aims to mobilize more than $2.6 billion in capital for women entrepreneurs in 26 developing countries.o The WomenConnect Challenge: Seeks to growth women’s access to digital technology and bridge the digital gender divide.o The 2X Women’s Initiative: Aimed at mobilizing $1 billion in capital to support women living in the developing world. This initiative has already mobilized more than $140 million from the private sector to support women in Latin America and the Caribbean.Black AmericansBlack Americans have a true champion in President Trump.• President Trump has created an astonishing 1.6 million new jobs for black Americans since his election. o In December, the black unemployment rate was at 5.9%.o The black American unemployment rate has been at or below 7% for 23 consecutive months.o Prior to President Trump’s administration, the black unemployment rate had never dipped below 7%.o In 2019, the African American unemployment rate hit a record low and remained below 7% for the entire year.• Under President Trump, incomes for black Americans have increased by 2.6%.• Under the Trump Economy, wages are continuing to rise which significantly benefits the lowest-paid workers.• The poverty rate among black Americans is at its lowest level in history. o Under President Trump, 350,000 fewer black Americans are living in poverty.• During the President’s first year in office, the black American poverty rate fell to 21.2% down from 22% the year before.• As a result of the historic Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, nearly 9,000 Opportunity Zones were created in all 50 states, DC, and 5 territories. o Opportunity Zones which will create jobs and spur investment in disadvantaged communities.o These Opportunity Zones will spur $100 billion in private capital investment and impact 1.4 million minority households.• President Trump signed the historic FIRST STEP Act into law. o The FIRST STEP ACT has been widely hailed as the most meaningful criminal justice reform in a generation.o This landmark legislation included necessary reforms to our justice system, improves our prison system, and prepares inmates for reentry in our communities.o As a result of the First Step Act, more than 3,000 Americans have been released from prison and 90% of those who have had their sentences reduced are black Americans.o The First Step Act shortens mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug crimes and provides judges greater liberty to go around mandatory minimums.o The law also allows offenders sentenced under racially motivated mandatory minimums to petition for their cases to be re-evaluated.o President Trump was awarded the 2019 Bipartisan Justice award by the nonprofit 20/20 Bipartisan Justice Center. The President received this award for his “ability to work across the aisle to achieve meaningful progress in reforming our criminal justice system.”• President Trump has committed his Administration to advancing second chance hiring for former prisoners. This includes launching a “Ready to Work Initiative.”• The Trump Administration has fought for a federal tax credit on donations that fund scholarships to private schools, a proposal supported by 64% of African Americans.• President Trump has made supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) a top priority. o In February 2017, President Trump announced the President’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs.o The President signed an Executive Order on HBCUs in February 2017, the earliest any President has signed an Order on HBCUs.o The EO established an Interagency Working Group to advance and coordinate work regarding HBCUs.o The federal HBCU initiative office was moved back into the White House, a move that leaders had requested under President Obama.o President Trump has appropriated more money than any other president to HBCUs.o The President signed legislation to increase federal funding for HBCUs by 13%, the highest level ever.o President Trump signed the FUTURE Act into law. The law permanently funds HBCUs and simplifies the FAFSA application.o The President worked with Congress to lift the ban on Pell Grants on summer classes.o Through the Capital Financing Program, the Administration has provided more than $500 million in loans to HBCUs.o The President directed the entire federal government to develop a strategy to support HBCUs. To date, this has been supported by 32 departments and agencies.o The Administration has forgiven more than $300 million in outstanding debt for four schools impacted by natural disasters and the budget provided $10 million to defer loan payments for 6 school facing financial difficulties.o The Department of Education worked with HBCUs to protect $80 million in Title III carryover funding.o President Trump took a big step to end discriminatory restrictions to prevent faith based HBCUs from accessing federal support.o The Administration continues to work with HBCUs to expand apprenticeship opportunities, career choices, and ensure they are receiving adequate support.Latino AmericansUnder President Trump’s leadership the Latino American community has thrived.• Under President Trump, Latino Americans have experienced record low unemployment.• More than 2.9 million jobs have been created for Latino Americans since the President was elected. o In December, the Latino American unemployment rate was at a near record low of 4.2%.o The Hispanic American unemployment rate hit several record lows in 2019, including falling below 4% for the first time in history.• The median Latino American income rose by $1,786 during President Trump’s first year in office. o In 2017, the median Latino American income hit its highest ever recorded level ($50,486).• Since taking office, the Latino American homeownership rose by more than a percentage point (46.3% to 47.4%).• In addition to the booming economy, President Trump renegotiated freer and fairer trade deals such as the USMCA.• President Trump has stood up to socialism and communism in Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua. o Thanks to pressure from President Trump, 50 countries followed President Trump’s leadership in recognizing Juan Guaidó as the legitimate leader of Venezuela.o The Trump administration has rolled back President Obama’s disastrous rapprochement with Cuba, which only benefited the country’s dictatorship instead of its people.o At the direction of President Trump, the Treasury Department has imposed sanctions against senior officials in the Nicaraguan regime for their role in human rights abuses and undermining democracy.• The President has made it clear that American interests do not align with failed socialist policies.Asian AmericansUnder President Trump’s leadership Asian American unemployment has reached record lows.• In December, the Asian American unemployment rate was 2.5%, near a historic low.• The lowest ever record unemployment rate for Asian Americans (2.1%) came in June 2019.CURRENT NOTE: President Donald Trump and his administration have taken historic measures by signing four executive orders this past week to reduce the price of prescription drugs. Access to quality and affordable prescription drugs is something every American deserves.

This morning as I greeted a bright but frigid morning, I found myself thinking of one of my many culture-bridging experiences. I was wondering why it is so difficult for us to listen to each other and find our common ground.Maybe it was one specific job interview years ago that made this so apparent to me. In my younger years, I would often get calls begging me to take on a new project – Indian education, child welfare, or addiction prevention to name a few. I remember reluctantly agreeing to consider working on a federally-funded project to prevent chemical dependency in selected tribes. There was only one other Native American person on the research team, and he wanted to interview me to make sure I was “Indian enough.” He asked me about the research I was planning to conduct on Indian child welfare. When I explained that I was interested in learning how Ojibwe people defined effective and ineffective parenting and the systems and interventions they would recommend to address situations they saw as ineffective, my interviewer became impatient and agitated.“We already know that! Why bother?,” he replied.“I know what I think,” I replied, “but I have no idea how many other perspectives there are among community members, and I would like to know what they think.”Needless to say, I didn’t pass the “Indian enough” test, but it wasn’t because of my response to this exchange. It was my honesty when I answered the pivotal question.“We have two finalists for the coordinator of the project for one of our tribal sites. One is traditional, and one is assimilated. Who do you think we should hire?”I knew he wanted me to endorse hiring the person he referred to as traditional, but instead, I was honest.“It depends on the project objectives, the community context, and the fit with candidate qualifications. That really should be left to the community to decide. But honestly, I don’t know what you mean by the terms ‘traditional’ and ‘assimilated’ in this context or why it should matter.”I wasn’t willing to say that there was only one simplistic choice – his (or mine). The exchange taught me many valuable lessons, among them, the need to ask questions that allowed people maximum freedom to share what they really thought and felt.Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Diversity TreeYears in the future, I remembered this lesson when I was asked to do a needs assessment for an urban Indian health center. The center was surrounded by competing factions, each with strong and divergent views of who should be in the leadership position, the types of services that should be provided, and the overall purpose of the center. I agreed to seek grant funding if we could move beyond merely cataloguing health problems and also look at individual and community strengths and visions for the future. As I began writing the proposal, I asked myself how I could use research to attempt to build common ground. Several ideas came to mind. First, we would build a multi-cultural team that would include university faculty and students, health center leadership, and community members. Second, we would use a sampling technique that would maximize the inclusion of diverse perspectives (hermeneutic dialectics). Third, by exploring strengths and future visions, we would be looking for ways to build common ground and community buy-in and excitement. But how does one craft questions that really allow people maximum freedom to answer honestly in such a conflict-ridden context?Our proposal was funded and we built a multicultural team, although it was challenging to find a community member who was able to honor research protocols. Our first choice didn’t work primarily because it was too difficult for the community representative to respect participant privacy or solicit, respect and convey perspectives that differed from hers. Community members requested that we replace her with Euro-American graduate students who were perceived as more trustworthy for honoring confidentiality and listening carefully to what they had to say. We honored that request. Nonetheless, her help crafting the interview questions did prove invaluable.Our first question set the tone. “When you think of “health” what comes to mind?” Unlike the questions my interviewer from years ago asked, there was no indication of the “correct” answer. We deliberately avoided defining words like “community” to see how participants would define it themselves. Would they include only their faction of the Native community? Those who shared their tribal affiliation? All Native members who lived in the community, or all residents of the community regardless of ancestry?The next challenge was figuring out who to talk to and how to maximize inclusiveness. Although the title of the sampling technique, “hermeneutic dialectics,” is too academic and off-putting, it’s really very simple to understand and operationalize (Guba and Lincoln, 1989). At the end of each interview, one simply asks each participant if he or she can recommend someone we could interview who has different views than theirs.The answers to all of the questions, but particularly the first, made the inclusiveness of our sample very clear.Definitions of HealthIn response to the question “When you think of ‘health’ what comes to mind?,” participants gave many types of responses. The following themes and quotes suggest that the sample of participants was diverse.✧ Physical“The state your body is in.”✧ Personal Responsibility“Lifestyle choices.”“Health is exercising regularly, walking, running. Eating well is healthy too. Eating vegetables, fruits, protein is very important.”“Health is just something you need to work on all the time.”✧ Absence of Disease“Good health would mean the absence of all of these horrible diseases” [AIDS, diabetes, breast/cervical cancer].✧ Holistic“Health to me means spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically centered.”✧ Reliance on the Health Care System“I have children, so I think of their healthcare coverage, and co-payments.”✧ Family History“Family history – diabetes, cancer, arthritis.”✧ Structural Factors (Limited Income, Health Care System, Environment)“We don’t eat the best foods – often we have to get what’s on sale.”“A long wait. . . even when you are sick and in pain, you have to wait to get services.”“Clean air is very important–like the exhaust from the cars and mills.”What WasParticipants described the health center in terms of the role it played in the Native Community in the past – as the center of the hub that brought people together and provided a range of services. It was a place where families could bring their children for daycare, elders shared meals, and people would hang out to socialize and have coffee with others. But that changed.Most of the programs were initially funded in the 1960s and 1970s as part of the War on poverty With the leaner, meaner years of Reagan and beyond, funding sources needed to shift to keep the center open, yet most community residents were unaware of the reasons for the changes in the types of services the center provided. They saw the changes in a different light, as a way for one faction to gain control of the center’s leadership and resources.What IsParticipants described the present status of the community as one characterized by different factions based on a number of criteria: the amount of time they had been living in the community, their tribal or national ancestry, whether they continued to practice their tribal traditions or chose to fit in more with the dominant culture. Instead of viewing the center as a hub that unified the community, it was now viewed as contributing to the divisions by only serving a select group in power at the time. Yet some participants also acknowledged the work that center staff were doing to bring in additional resources and services, such as mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment programs.What Could BeAll of the participants described clear ideas of what the center and community could, and should, be. For many, the future represented the healthiest aspects of the past and present, and the center was described as a hub that would provide not only health services, but also a range of other human services as the agency did in the past – a gathering place that would connect Native American people across generations, especially youth and elders, and across tribal and urban/reservation distinctions.Many participants described a future that moved beyond the Native American community to connect with the urban community as a whole and with tribal communities scattered throughout the state, US, and Canada as well. Their future vision reached beyond ethnic and geographic boundaries, and also across time, to interweave traditions throughout center services and into other health care agencies, child day care, and schools. As participants described these visions during interviews, they often became animated, suggesting these were powerful dreams that generated a sense of hope, excitement, and real possibility.Putting the Past, Present, and Future TogetherI could go on to list the serious challenges the Native American community faced due to centuries of colonial oppression and ongoing discrimination, but those issues are often the only things we hear about peoples on the margins. It’s what researchers tend to study and write about. Maori researcher Linda Tuhiwai Smith (2001) makes this point very clearly.Instead, I would like to share a story that shows what we miss when we only see people’s problems. One of the study participants first described the many physical conditions that made mobility difficult for her, the financial challenges that made accessing prevention and treatment services so difficult, and the discrimination that made her reluctant to even try. Then, she told a story about the discrimination her son faced in the public school system. White students taunted him, called him names, and pulled his braid. She and her husband met with the principal to share their concerns. The principal promised he would discipline the white youth involved and make sure the bullying ended. She and her husband offered a different solution. As a family, they proposed to share their tribal culture in a ceremony and performance for the whole school so all teachers and students would have a better understanding of their history and culture. The principal accepted their solution. Instead of perpetuating resentment through punishment, the performance did result in improved relationships and understanding. The former bullies befriended their son, as did other students and teachers. To only see this woman as a victim negates her ability to be seen for all that she is and has to offer others.The second thing I would like to share is a little of the wisdom and future hopes of the community members we interviewed.“Part of rebuilding the community is utilizing people who want to help. It will take the sense of belonging to the community like the branches of a tree. By doing this reaching out, it makes the community healthy, and it makes the center strong and healthy, and people are drawn to it and want to hang around.”“I would like my children and grandchildren to learn from the community – for community members to share their tribal values and who they are with my child. It is nice to know a whole range of cultures. They are all different, still all are the same in many ways. It would be nice to visit community members who can share these things about their culture.”One of the participants prophetically predicted the outcome of this hopeful project.“Power sources are experts at turning us against each other, then they walk right over us. We are all like a circle, the non-profits working for Indian people. I try to tell people that the money-people toss a dollar bill in the middle and we all scramble for it. And I tell people we cannot do that anymore. When the money-people throw the dollar bill into the center of the circle we have to say “NO.” We must lock arms in the circle and ask for something more. We need to improve all of our lives, not just a handful of our lives. If we could just all get on the same page. It’s not about who is in charge – we are equals. But the power sources would prefer to have us at each other’s throats.”Sadly, those in power at the county and federal levels were able to divide the community. It was heartbreaking to be aware not only of the serious needs that would continue to go unmet for Native American residents, but also to see the strengths and visions of the community that could be brought to bear to build a more inclusive, healthier, and kinder community. It is far easier to divide and conquer than it is to foster communities that bring elders and youth together, help foster mutual support networks, and encourage all kinds of innovative community-building initiatives. Another outcome was so possible – a community that was respectful and inclusive of all of the residents and visitors, where children and elders were cherished for their gifts, where all people had fulfilling work that paid them fair wages, and where all had equal access to safe and affordable housing, education, nutrition, and health care. A community where all had equal ability to enjoy the beauty of the wild natural areas that surrounded them. That’s what comes to my mind when I think of the word “health.”Works Cited:Egon G. Guba and Yvonne S. Lincoln (1989). Fourth generation evaluation. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.Carol A. Hand, Peggy Cochran-Seelye, David Schantz, Eric Diamond, and Sarah Aronson (2007). University-community partnership to improve the health of Missoula’s Native American community members. (Unpublished report, available upon request as a PDF document from Carol A. Hand)Linda Tuhiwai Smith (2001). Decolonizing methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples. London, GB: Zed Books Ltd.Acknowledgement (added May 14, 2016): With explicit permission from the former Executive Director of the Urban Indian Health Center, my dear friend Peggy Cochran Seelye, I would like to publicly acknowledge her essential help with this project. She was a pivotal partner. Without her hard work to improve services, improve community connections, and build toward a hopeful holistic future for the agency, this study would not have been possible. Chi miigwetch, dear Peggy. I miss working with you, sharing tears and laughter and hope. I wish we could have taken this work to the next level for the sake of the community.