Hello
A very long, heavy on videos and photos, celebratory diary ahead (with a nod to askew - thank you, mate).
...The financial regulatory bill is the final piece of a legislative hat trick that also included the stimulus bill and the landmark new health care law. Over the last 18 months, Mr. Obama and the Democratic Congress have made considerable inroads in passing what could be the most ambitious agenda in decades.
Mr. Obama has done what he promised when he ran for office in 2008: he has used government as an instrument to try to narrow the gaps between the haves and the have-nots. He has injected $787 billion in tax dollars into the economy, provided health coverage to 32 million uninsured and now, reordered the relationship among Washington, Wall Street, investors and consumers.
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...Once Obama signs financial reform into law next week, it will cap a run of legislative activity that rivals some of the most ambitious efforts in American history to rewrite the relationship between government and its citizens. Obama will have not only passed a stimulus package that helped pull the economy back from the brink; he will have also begun reshaping two major chunks of our economy: Health care and Wall Street. As many have noted already, he's probably done more than any president since FDR to transform our country.
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Yep. 18 months of more Democratic Party accomplishments then over 12 years of Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, and more than any president except FDR and LBJ. All this is just 18 months, in the midst of dealing with the most awful inheritance a president can get, and the most cynical and disgusting Republican party ever:
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January 29, 2009: The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.
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February 4, 2009: SCHIP legislation (State Children's Health Insurance Program)
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February 23, 2009: The the biggest Recovery Act in history including, among others, the largest investment in clean energy in history, the largest investment in education in history, the largest tax break in history for the middle class, and the largest investment in infrastructure since the 50s.
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March 02, 2009: Laying out the plan for ending the war in Iraq, which will end the combat mission by August 2010.
U.S. Troop Strength In Iraq 2003-2010
May 2003 150,000 – Invasion force
October 2007 171,000 – Height of Surge
January 2009 142,000 – Beginning Obama administration
February 140,000
March 137,000
May 134,000
June 130,000
September 124,000
October 117,000
November 115,000
December 110,000
February 2010 98,000
April 95,000
May 92,000
June 90,000
July 77,500
July 15, 2010: US army hands over last prison in Iraq
BAGHDAD,— The US army handed control of Camp Cropper prison to Iraqi authorities on Thursday, effectively ending one of the most controversial chapters of the seven-year-long American military occupation.
General Ray Odierno, the commander of US forces in Iraq, told reporters on Tuesday that the handover of Camp Cropper had been planned for one year and a system of training and safeguards had been put in place.
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March 9, 2009: Ending a ban on federal funding of stem cell research.
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March 30, 2009: Saving the Auto Industry.
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Demand for vehicles keeps GM plants open during traditional summer shutdown
Demand for Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac and GMC products has spurred General Motors to skip the usual summer break at nine of eleven assembly plants, GM reported yesterday, and just as remarkable, the United Auto Workers are on board with it.
The annual summer shutdown was traditionally used by automakers to perform the annual model changeover back when annual changes were much more extensive. Over the past couple of decades, however, that tradition had evolved to where it was utilized for maintenance operations and to allow employees to use vacation weeks without interrupting production overall.
This year however, in order to meet consumer demand especially for the Buick LaCrosse, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia, the June 28 through July 9 shutdown won't take place.
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March 30, 2009: The Omnibus Public Lands Management Act, one of the most sweeping pieces of conservation and public land management legislation in years.
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April 21, 2009: The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.
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May 22, 2009: Credit Card Reform.
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June 22, 2009: The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.
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August 12, 2009: Sonia Sotomayor becomes the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice.
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October 29, 2009: Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
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October 30, 2009: The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Act.
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March 23, 2010: The Big Fucking Deal.
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July 15, 2010: Health Plans Must Provide Some Tests at No Cost
WASHINGTON, The White House on Wednesday issued new rules requiring health insurance companies to provide free coverage for dozens of screenings, laboratory tests and other types of preventive care.
The new requirements promise significant benefits for consumers — if they take advantage of the services that should now be more readily available and affordable.
The rules will eliminate co-payments, deductibles and other charges for blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol tests; many cancer screenings; routine vaccinations; prenatal care; and regular wellness visits for infants and children.
Other services that must be offered at no charge include counseling to help people stop smoking; screening and counseling for obesity; and tests for infection with the virus that causes AIDS.
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March 30, 2010: Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act
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April 09, 2010: The signing of the new START treaty, as part of a global effort to reduce and eliminate nuclear weapon.
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May 5, 2010: Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services
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July 15, 2010: Wall Street Reform.
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TO BE CONTINUED....
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All these by AP.
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First lady Michelle Obama during a visit in Panama City Beach, Fla., Monday, July 12
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President Obama greets guests after speaking about the administration's national HIV/AIDS strategy during a reception to honor the work of HIV/ AIDS community in the East Room of the White House, July 13, 2010
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President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden meet with President Bill Clinton and business leaders in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, July 14, 2010. Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
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With Jack Lew on the Colonnade of the White House after he announced Lew’s nomination as director of the Office of Management and Budget, July 13, 2010. Bo will speak his mind in private.(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
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With Warren Buffett in the Oval Office, July 14, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
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Yesterday President Obama participated in a groundbreaking ceremony at Compact Power, Inc. a subsidiary of LG Chem Ltd., a battery plant in Holland, Michigan. The plant is the ninth of nine new advanced battery factories to start construction as a result of the $2.4 billion in Recovery Act advanced battery and electric vehicle awards. Once fully operational, the Compact factory will produce battery cells to support 53,000 Chevy Volts a year.
And, the president certainly didn't miss the opportunity to take a shot at Pete Hoekstra - as Hoekstra had no shame showing up to the ribbon cutting despite, obviousy, voting against the Recovery Act.
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President Obama give Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm a hug as LG Chem Ltd. Chairman Bon-Moo Koo, left, watches.
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President Obama shakes hands with LG Chem Ltd. Chairman Bon-Moo Koo.
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President Obama checks out two electric vehicles displayed at Compact Power, Inc., in Holland, Michigan.
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President Obama, after delivering remarks on the passage of Wall Street Reform.
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And, going on a well deserved weekend break in Maine.
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