Here are just a few items that have been accomplished under President Obama's administration with the Democratic Party in just two years:
Largest tax cut in history in 2009
Recovery and Reinvestment act in 2009 – saved us from Depression
Health Care Reform
Equal pay for women
Credit card reform
Largest amount of money invested in infrastructure across America
More after the bump...
$8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit
Cash for Clunkers
Tax credit for purchasing energy-efficient furnaces
Rebates for old appliances
Saved the American automobile industry
Student loan changes
Law for workers to sue for pay discrimination
Power to regulate tobacco
Hate Crimes bill
Extended Health insurance for 4 million children
Largest investment in clean energy.
Single largest investment in education.
Most Funding ever for Veterans according to leadership.
Over 25 tax cuts including the largest one ever
A land conservation bill.
Tripled the size of Americorp.
Financial and banking system reform
$858 billion dedicated to growth of economy 2010
They compromised and worked with Republicans – trying to get them to vote for health care and stimulus package.
They worked with the Republican leadership to pass the tax cut deal that saved unemployment for millions of people and gave tax cuts to everybody as well as to businesses.
Democrats first concern was for Americans in pain (unemployed, middle class, businesses hurting, college students) where as Republican's concern was for the rich only.
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What will Obama and Democrats do in a year when the Soc Sec tax cut expires and a new unemployment bill needs to be extended? I suggest they do the following:
Let them expire but offer a new one time rebate for the year of 2012. This bill should include the extension of unemployment. Let the Republicans explain why they voted NO to this bill, if they do, I don’t think they will. They should do this bill at Christmas time forcing Republicans to agree to vote NO on giving Americans some money to help build up the economy and to dropping unemployment for the poor.
What will Obama and the Democrats do in two years when the new Obama tax cuts are about to expire? I suggest they do the following:
They should remind folks of everything Obama said he would do in his campaign – all of the above listing. When Republicans start pushing commercials about Obama flip flopping on his promise to stop tax cuts for the rich, Obama should go out there and say that he HAD TO because the Republicans said they would filibuster any money for the poor and middle class if he didn’t.
President Obama can also point out that during the campaign Americans weren’t (including himself) aware of how bad the economy really was. He compromised only because he didn’t want people to suffer and he felt the economy still needed a nudge to keep it afloat. But now that the economy is better, jobs are coming back, it’s time to stop those tax cuts for the wealthy and pay down the deficit.
He should do this BEFORE the two years is up. The Senate should push for a new bill replacing the current tax deal, with only a middle class tax cut. Pass it and send it to House. Let the Republicans vote NO to Middle Class tax cuts – let them explain to voters why they don’t want them to have tax cuts. This bill should be pushed BEFORE Nov 2nd 2012. Make it a campaign issue.
Let the voters decide who they want in control. Do they want somebody that will fight for EVERYBODY or somebody that fights for the rich only? Do they want somebody that saved them from another Great Depression with a stimulus plan or somebody that said NO to any stimulus? Do they want somebody that fought for health care reform or somebody that said NO to it? Do they want somebody that fought for new infrastructure, new student loans, new appliances, new energy efficient cars or somebody that said NO to all of that? Do they want somebody that fought for credit card, financial and banking system reforms or somebody that said NO to any of that?
Democrats study the issue at hand and make up their own minds unlike the Republican Party that seems to be stuck in a ‘college like’ hazing situation, doing anything and everything the club leaders tell them to. They aren't puppy dogs. And, unlike the Republican Party leadership, President Obama has worked with Republicans on legislation; he’s worked against them as well. He’s worked with and against his own party when he felt it was necessary. He fights for what he believes in whether you agree with him or not. He is his own man.