President Obama’s First 100 days
Posted by Michelle Moquin on 30th April 2009
So congrats to our president Obama for what I feel is an amazing first 100 days. Did you watch him last night? I don’t know about you but I just love listening to him. I love his logic, his humor, his realness, and his get-down-to business. He has accomplished a lot for a president that has at least twice as much on his plate to handle than the past presidents.
We all know of his accomplishments that have been in our face, daily…but what about the ones that have gotten little press time? Because there has been so much going on…so many priorities, stories that once could or would get front page coverage have faded fast. And because we are challenged in so many ways, stories affecting our nation’s health care system, infrastructure, urban and foreign policy – have received hardly any coverage at all….and if they have been discussed they are not getting the appreciation they deserve, or they are reported but not in great depth to make an impact with the public. One has to spend a lot of time watching the news or perusing the net to get the full scope of Obama’s achievements.
I am grateful to say that the Huffington Post decided to take some action and recognize our president for all that he has accomplished. They asked administration officials as well as Democrats inside and out of government for their picks of under-appreciated stories during Obama’s first 100 days. Here are ten of those stories. Thanks Huff!
1. Health Care: The Obama White House cleared an important hurdle in the health care reform debate when it appropriated $19 billion in the stimulus package to help implement an electronic medical record system. The money is paltry compared to the hundreds of billions set aside for an overhaul of the health care system in the budget. But officials inside and out of the White House say its significance is hard to overstate.
“We need to have health IT so we have a better idea both of what works but also… so people can share information,” Zeke Emanuel, Obama’s health care adviser told the Huffington Post in mid-March. “We are on our way in a way that we have never committed ourselves before.”
2. Communications: A presidential campaign built on innovative messaging and advanced technology has, naturally, become a White House defined by similar characteristics. As such, the reach of the administration’s new media efforts – from hosting online question-and-answer sessions with the president to publishing the first White House blog – has been as expected as appreciated. It’s unfortunate, said one tech savvy Democrat, because the new policies have had tangible impacts. “The White House streams every event with the president on its website, even press events,” he said. “It’s remarkable because, this Sunday they held a swine flu press conference that ordinary people [including many who may have been personally nervous about the topic] were able to watch online… Before you had to wait for a readout or hope that CSPAN would cover it. This is one of those things that people don’t quite understand the significance of.”
3. Transportation: Since the passage of the economic stimulus package in mid-February, the Obama Department of Transportation has approved 2,500 highway projects. The movement of stimulus money out the door has been as swift as it has been effective: $9.3 billion has been spent in all 50 states. Touting its impact, DOT officials say 260,000 jobs are expected from this investment. And with competition for contracts fierce, the department is set to approve even more projects than previously envisioned. “There will be more money for additional transportation projects,” said the official.
4. Education: Maligned for its handling of the financial and banking crises, the Obama Treasury Department has nevertheless implemented policies with real qualitative and quantitative impact on debt-burdened families. Chief among those was a $2,500 tax credit to help offset the cost of tuition (among other expenses) for those seeking a college education. Nearly five million families are expected to save $9 billion, according to Treasury officials.
5. Cars: The automobile industry at the White House and Congress’s behest has undergone seismic structural changes, managerial reorganization, and massive cuts in employment. But for all the tough love, the president has put in place the framework for an industry recovery. Perhaps the most significant of steps was to allocate $2 billion in stimulus cash for advanced batteries systems. One high-ranking Hill aide called battery technology “the next big frontier” in the automotive world, adding that if the U.S. could dominate this market it would reclaim its perch as the world’s premier car manufacturer.
6. Pakistan: Cognizant of a destabilizing situation in Pakistan, the administration’s diplomatic team, with a major assist from Japan, secured $5 billion in aid commitments “to bolster the country’s economy and help it fight terror and Islamic radicalism” within the country. The money, as Pakistan observers — notably Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry – note, will prove instrumental in bringing the nation away from the brink of failure and increased Taliban control.
7. Cities: More than any prior president, Obama has put a spotlight on America’s struggling cities, even creating an office of Urban Policy in the White House. It is the Justice Department, however, that lays claim to one of the most consequential of urban affairs achievements. Through the Recovery Act, DOJ secured $2 billion for Byrne Grants, which funds anti-gang and anti-gun task forces. The money, cut during the Bush years, is expected to have massive ramifications on inner-city crime and violence.
8. Engaging the Muslim World: While certainly discussed, foreign affairs experts insist that Obama’s engagement with the Muslim world has been at once remarkable and under-appreciated. From the first interview with Al Arabiya to his Nowruz address to the Iranian people, to his proclamation that “American is not at war with Islam” during an appearance in Turkey, seasoned observers have been routinely impressed. “Through these [statements and interviews],” said one Democratic foreign policy hand, “He has been able to dramatically change America’s image in that region.”
9. Forests: Since taking office, the White House has put under federal protection more than two million acres of wilderness, thousands of miles of river and a host of national trails and parks. The conservation effort – the largest in the last 15 years – came with the stroke of a pen when Obama signed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 in late March.
10. Tone: Leaving a meeting at the White House on Tuesday a progressive member of the House of Representatives commented to the Huffington Post just how impressed she was with the president’s manner. “He is so calm,” said the member, “and has a great ability to make you feel like you’re being respected and listened to.”
It is not, necessarily, a unique observation. But among many Democrats and even casual observers, Obama’s tone is cited as one of the chief catalysts for his outstanding early poll numbers. “Despite record job loss,” said one Democratic aide, “there’s still hope in America.” Indeed, from the beginning of his presidency the percentage of people who believe the nation is headed in the right direction has risen from 19 percent to 42 percent, according to a recent ABC News-Washington Post Poll. Minus that calming influence, these numbers don’t exist and neither does the Obama agenda as we know it.
-Sam Stein/Huffington Post
Readers: Well…were you surprised by any of these? I was. Learn anything new? I did. Are you even more impressed with Obama now? I certainly am.
Thoughts? Comments? Do the usual….Blog me.
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Al: So much for the true definition of ‘forever’. Welcome back. Your comments yesterday and the day before are filled with contradictions. You say that my blog and aliens are phony ( and yes, I will admit that I do color my hair back to its naturally black color – so what?! :) And like ZL, if I ever feel the need I will do what ever I please with this bod. My point being….You say that I am an instrument in destroying what little health you have. Ah…you give such power to me and to the one who forbids you, who ever that is. And I believe that when you use the word ‘y’all’, you are also referring to the aliens – yes? You know….those aliens that you claim are phony.
And you are call me a chameleon. Al, get real. Be honest. You know why you’re fucked up. Take responsibility for your actions.
I will say no more. I know how messed up you are and that saying anything such as this will do you no good. I have already wished you the best and no matter what you say to me, that will always be my thoughts. It is ridiculous of me to try and reason with someone who is not of sane mind so I will leave it at that. Feel free to come back again. However, do not expect me to carry on a crazy conversation with you such as this one.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: Your Bad Ass Bitch Editor
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