As one of the many critics of Obama who has been open about feeling on Gitmo and healthcare reform, it is incumbent upon me to point out the things I believe he's done right.
Of all places, the WSJ lists this article:
http://online.wsj.com/...
That details some quiet, under the radar things that Obama is achieving with little fanfare, totally off the radar.
Wanna know what they are? Follow me below.
Last week, Mr. Obama signed defense-policy legislation that included an unrelated measure widening federal hate-crimes laws to cover sexual orientation and gender identification -- 12 years after it was first introduced. The same legislation also tightened the rules of admissible evidence for military commissions, an issue that consumed Congress in debate in 2007 but received almost no attention this go-round.
Yay! Yes, completely and totally appropriate, I support his signing it into law and no, I won't say 'better late than never.' Oops, I guess I just did! ;-)
Other new measures signed into law since the administration took office, all of which kicked up controversy in past congresses, make it easier for women to sue for equal pay, set aside land in the West from development, give the government the power to regulate tobacco and raise tobacco taxes to expand health insurance for children.
Lily Ledbetter is a start and I suspect we'll see more progress on the equal pay front, so thanks President Obama, as a woman I appreciate that you've given me an easier time to fight for my right to make what men make for the same work.
Conservation efforts are always appreciated by me, so setting aside land that is free from developers is a plus. So, thanks.
And as for tobacco, this is a good development. It's a scourge that should be stamped out, this coming from a former smoker (6 years free now) whose parents were chronic smokers.
Congress and the White House, in the new defense-policy bill, also killed weapons programs that have survived earlier attempts at termination, among them, the F-22 fighter jet, the VH-71 presidential helicopter and the Army's Future Combat System.
It's a start.
More achievements:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
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.
I appreciate his availability and openness with regard to this, plus the townhalls he's hosted in the past to talk to average citizens about health care reform.
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.
Definitely good stuff there.
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.
Another good start.
He's also stopped the use of torture against the detainees, and quietly ended the War on Terror. We now face specific conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, both of which President Obama is attempting to manage. He did give Afghanistan precedence over Iraq, which is should have had all along.
He's slowed the recession, slowed some foreclosures and rescued some banks. His pay czar has restructured some of the pay rules for Wall Street executives. (Whether or not you agree with the extent of what he's done, this diary today is not about criticising the President, but acknowledging his achievements and accomplishments).
We hear about the biggies all day long, the economy and health care reform. I know those two are important to people, but I think it's also good to remember the things that we have achieved that tend to go unnoticed, under the radar.