A list is circulating on the Internet recording Barack Obama’s votes in the Senate, put out by creativeyouth.net . (1) An article is also circulating critiquing that list of votes. (2)
One point that the people who put out the list regard as telling is that Senator Obama didn’t “bother” to vote on a number of issues, but the authors of the list don’t say what he was doing that he was absent for the votes.
Now think about this for a moment. How can a Senator campaign for President of the United States and not be absent from Senate votes? Could not the same charge be made against Senator McCain and in fact against any candidate for President who was also a Senator?
Why is the charge made against no one else but Obama?
Again the second source tried to confirm some of the sources given by the list and ran into difficulties. That source as well saw difficulties in the way the list recorded the votes. Let me allow the writer of the article to set out his critique since the list is circulating but probably not the critique:
“The list itself has a brief introduction, which indicates some of the sources for the voting record catalog:
“Below is Obama’s 2005, 2006 and 2007 voting record. The first couple of years of this was collected by a national liberal Democratic organization. The news team at Creative Youth has thoroughly checked that part out in Thomas.loc.gov and found it to be completely accurate. Then the CY News Team, using Thomas.loc.gov, brought it up to date through through the end of 2007.
“I found it noteworthy that the second line includes the vague “national liberal Democratic organization.” Why isn’t this organization named? The group goes on to claim that everything was cross-referenced through Thomas.loc.gov. I went to that site, and after spending about ten minutes there, I was not able to figure out how they did this. I tried to search for “Michael Chertoff,” for the 2/15/2005 item referenced above. Perhaps I am just not talented with the database. But I could not find it. It is interesting that CreativeYouth.net chose to include “Roll Call” numbers, but not numbers to identify the bills referenced.
“Hamilton County Commission President Todd Portune provided a lengthy response on the matter of the list:
“I cannot tell from the list whether many of the matters are the only bills, or issues that were considered at or about the same time, that took up the same or similar essential issues. It is not uncommon, for example, for several pieces of legislation to wind their way forward that are similar in nature, or that reflect compromise that, in the end, result in companion pieces of legislation being voted down.
“In the area of appointments and confirmations I cannot tell from the voting record where Senator Obama’s position was during the entirety of the confirmation process, so I cannot tell whether these votes truly express the Senator’s position, or came, as they did, in a largely ministerial manner.
“Last, the times when the Senator was absent from votes seem to bundle several votes on or around particular dates. Without knowing the reason for the absence [i.e. the Senator could have been on Senate business elsewhere while the matter was addressed]; without knowing whether his vote was needed to make a difference in the outcome; and without knowing the manner in which the vote was scheduled, I cannot come to any conclusions about the impact of his absence or even whether it was the product of GOP unethical manipulation of the rules. [There have been numerous documented occasions where votes were scheduled by GOP Chairs of Committees and/or the Speaker or President of the Senate at times without due notice, or in the wee hours of the morning].
“At the end of the day I can say, without equivocation, that we are better off with Barack Obama as President than John McCain. There is no doubt in my mind that Senator Obama is a true Democrat and will support a Progressive agenda. Like anyone in politics there are occasions where compromises must be made to get things done. Where you must settle for a little bit of progress. But that is still immeasurably better than no progress.” (3)
I know many lightworkers are flagging in their support for the President. I hear from you every day. But I personally don’t intend to flag.
I’ve published a number of articles on this site, which you can find in the right-hand column, on President Obama’s record in office and how the galactic and spirit teachers view him (search on “This Site is Pro-Obama”). I’d like to produce two items here now which express how I feel about the situation – the wall of negative criticism of the President that hampers his administration.
The first is a set of quotations from SaLuSa, Hatonn, and Matthew on the President’s situation; the second is a list of Obama’s accomplishments which I originally received from Suzy Ward, whom I thank. Here they are:
1. SaLuSa: “President Obama is surrounded by the dark Ones but nevertheless able to make some progress, and will continue to lay down the foundation for his final years of office. His best work is still to come and he is well aware of his destiny to lead the people out of the darkness. He is a highly spiritual soul, and will with our help and protection work with us to speedily transform your experiences, into ones of happiness and release from the draconian laws that rule your lives.” (SaLuSa, Jan. 5, 2011.)
2. Hatonn: “Generally speaking, people know US president Barack Obama only by what he says and what your media report. Most don’t have a clue about what goes on ‘behind closed doors.’ You see stubborn partisan politics. We see Obama’s powerful enemies within and far beyond the government who are determined to smash to smithereens his attempts at reform. You see him looking worried and know some call him weak and say he’s leading his country in the wrong direction.
“We feel his pain as his efforts to improve the lives of all who are downtrodden are scuttled by a few self-servers. You see him trying to end foreign conflicts and think he should stay home and fix what’s wrong in his own country. We feel his discouragement and exhaustion as the dark ones keep stirring up trouble to dash his efforts everywhere.
“The folks you call ‘pundits’ speculate whether voters will give Obama a second term in office. We sing his praises for staying the course day after day! He has to deal with some of the very ones who threaten his life and his family’s, yet his intention to keep working for a peaceful world without poverty anywhere remains firm. You know that he and his family are protected by the Christed light grid around them, but Obama doesn’t know that. You know that he is a major part of the Golden Age master plan, but he doesn’t know that either.
“He acts on his convictions, principles, aspirations and innate experience as an honored leader in a highly evolved civilization who agreed to serve Earth in the most demanding position on the planet. If everyone could know this soul as we do, all the doubts and carping about him would come to a screeching halt and you would thank God for this man’s courage, wisdom, spiritual and moral integrity and his willingness to persevere!
“You know that your thoughts create what happens in your life, in your world, and everything you do affects everything else in this universe. So if any of you are among the carpers and doubters, stop that and start helping Obama to succeed! He’s working for you — do the same for him, yourselves, your world and our universe! You don’t have to become political activists. Just keep your hearts and minds in the right place and help others do it too. We’re in the trenches with you and we need your help—we have more than enough hindrance from the dark ones on Earth!” (Hatonn in Matthew’s Message, Oct. 10, 2010.)
3. Matthew: “Now then, we know that some of you are deeply disappointed about President Obama’s decision to send more troops to Afghanistan, which seems to be totally contrary to his having been chosen to receive the prestigious peace award. In this moment that may appear to be so, but in time you shall see that the committee’s selection is indeed most appropriate.
“From his beginning days in office, Obama has been confronted with powerful opposition to his godly vision for his country and a world at peace, and while never wavering one iota from his ultimate intentions, he has had to make compromises and interim decisions that are not in consonance with his vision, with messages from his soul.
“Ironically perhaps, the same energies that are inspiring gifts from the heart on an unprecedented scale also are causing those who are against all reforms to dig in their heels more stubbornly than ever; through bribery, blackmail or life-threats, the individuals who have woven the pernicious web of darkness still are calling many political shots. Obama and the members of Congress who share his vision will tenaciously pursue the liberation of their government from those self-serving ones who wish to keep it under their control.
“This is not unique to the United States, it is happening in countries throughout your world. What is occurring behind the scenes within and among governments will result in triumph for all light-filled peoples, and the dark ones in ruling bodies and every other organization that impact life on Earth will disappear. As planetary vibrations continue to rise, those ruthless manipulators will leave; their physical bodies cannot survive without the light that they refuse to accept, and the souls will go to worlds that correspond to their lifetime energy registration.
“The soul essence of Obama is expressed in his words, and you may remember that he wisely said to believe in yourselves. When you eagerly ‘raised your hand,’ so to speak, you knew that you would experience the deception and corruption in politics, laws and the socio-economic strata, and you incarnated specifically to free your world from the destructive nature of that divisiveness and inequity.
“And you are doing it! In villages and towns, cities and metropolises worldwide, the energy of the populace is breaking down unjust systems that have been making the wealthy wealthier and the poor poorer, and there is growing impatience to accomplish profound changes. This, too, is in response to the higher vibrations of intensifying light, and so is the desire for peace that underlies the growing discord even within military personnel. All actions and reactions are being accentuated in accordance with the energy acceleration, which you perceive as time passing faster and faster, and the wrangling and bickering over issues will evolve into unity of larger purpose as Earth continues approaching her Golden Age.” (Matthew’s Message, Dec. 17, 2009.)
Subject: Obama’s Accomplishments
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING ACCOMPLISHMENTS DO YOU FIND OBJECTIONABLE?:
Since coming into office on January 21, 2009, President Barack Obama has:
1. Signed an Executive Order on government contracting to fight waste and abuse:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/economy_in_government_contracting
2. Signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, restoring basic protections against pay discrimination for women and other workers:
3. Renewed dialogue with NATO and other allies and partners on strategic issues:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/04/04/Afghanistan-and-NATO
4. Announced a plan to responsibly end the war in Iraq:
5. Provided funding to families of fallen soldiers have expenses covered to be on hand when the body arrives at Dover AFB:
https://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/18/pentagon-will-help-families
6. Ended media blackout on war casualties and the return of fallen soldiers to Dover AFB:
https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7986203.stm
7. Signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:
https://www.recovery.gov/About/Pages/The_Act.aspx
8. Launched Recovery.gov to track spending from the Recovery Act, an unprecedented step to provide transparency and accountability through technology:
https://www.recovery.gov/Pages/home.aspx
9. Announced the “Making Home Affordable” home refinancing plan:
https://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov
10. Launched a $15 billion plan to boost lending to small businesses:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-to-small-business-owners
11. Invested heavily in education both as a way to provide jobs now and lay the foundation for long-term prosperity:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/education
12. Provided the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with more than $1.4 billion to improve services to America’s Veterans:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/veterans
13. Signed an Executive Order establishing the White House Office of Urban Affairs:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/02/AR2009070201410.html
14. Limited lobbyist’s access to the White House:
https://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/20/obama-outlines-lobbying-restrictions
15. Issued an Presidential Memorandum to restore scientific integrity in government decision-making:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Memorandum-for-the-Heads-of-Executive-Departments-and-Agencies-3-9-09
16. Answered questions at the first online town hall from the White House that were submitted and voted on transparently by the public at WhiteHouse.gov:
https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h2uzQs2_XBgeHotRBvNhY7DR572g
17. Established a central portal for Americans to find service opportunities:
https://www.serve.gov
18. Launched Business.gov – enabling conversation and online collaboration between small business owners, government representatives and industry experts in discussion forums relevant to starting and managing a business:
https://www.business.gov
19. Appointed the first ever Federal Chief Information Officer to provide management and oversight over federal IT spending:
https://www.cio.gov
20. Signed the Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act on February 4, 2009, which provides quality health care to 11 million kids – 4 million who were previously uninsured:
https://themiddleclass.org/bill/children039s-health-insurance-program-reauthorization-act-2009
21. Issued an Executive Order repealing the Bush-Era restrictions on embryonic stem cell research:
https://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/09/obama-administration-stem-cell-funding
22. Signed the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, the first piece of comprehensive legislation aimed at improving the lives of Americans living with paralysis:
https://www.christopherreeve.org/site/c.ddJFKRNoFiG/b.4442889/k.EC4B/Christopher_and_Dana_Reeve_Paralysis_Act.htm
23. Announced creation of a Joint Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record for members of the U.S. Armed Forces to improve quality of medical care:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/04/09/The-Care-They-Were-Promised-and-the-Benefits-That-They-Have-Earned
24. Ended the previous stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date:
25. Committed to phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane and other outdates weapons systems, which weren’t even used or needed in Iraq/Afghanistan:
https://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/06/gates.budget.cuts
26. Provided federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research:
https://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1908954,00.html
27. Provided new federal funding for science and research labs:
28. Played a lead role in G-20 Summit that produced a $1.1 trillion deal to combat the global financial crisis:
https://www.g20.org
29. Signed the Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act to stop fraud and wasteful spending in the defense procurement and contracting system:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weapon_Systems_Acquisition_Reform_Act_of_2009
30. Ordered the closure of the prison at Guantanamo Bay and a review of our detention and interrogation policy, and prohibited the use of torture:
https://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/22/guantanamo.order/index.html
31. Appointed Special Envoys for Climate Change, Southwest Asia, the Middle
East, Sudan, and a Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan:
https://www.america.gov/st/peacesec-english/2009/January/20090122175146idybeekcm1.328677e-02.html
32. Empowered states to enact federal fuel efficiency standards above federal standards:
33. Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants) after years of neglect:
https://www.usnews.com/articles/news/stimulus/2009/01/08/poll-americans-strongly-back-increase-in-infrastructure-spending.html
34. Increased minority access to capital:
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/16/increase-minority-access-to-capital
35. Developed a comprehensive new strategy on Afghanistan and Pakistan that will help defeat Al Qaeda and authorized the deployment of more than 21,000 troops to Afghanistan:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/27/AR2009032700836.html
36. Signed the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act which gives the federal government more tools to investigate and prosecute fraud, from lending to the financial system, and creates a bipartisan Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission to investigate the financial practices that brought us to this point:
https://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/05/obama-signs-hou.html
37. Signed the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, expanding on the Making Home Affordable Program to help millions of Americans avoid preventable foreclosures, providing $2.2 billion to help combat homelessness, and helping to stabilize the housing market for everybody:
https://www.zillow.com/blog/mortgage/2009/05/21/president-obama-signs-helping-families-save-their-homes-act
38. Increased, for the first time in more than a decade, the fuel economy standards for Model Year 2011 for cars and trucks so they will get better mileage, saving drivers money and spurring companies to develop more innovative products:
https://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/22650.html
39. Issued a Presidential Memorandum to the Department of Energy to implement more aggressive efficiency standards for common household appliances, like dishwashers and refrigerators. Through this step, over the next three decades, we’ll save twice the amount of energy produced by all the coal-fired power plants in America in any given year:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/ApplianceEfficiencyStandards
40. Unveiled a program on Earth Day 2009 to develop the renewable energy projects on the waters of our Outer Continental Shelf that produce electricity from wind, wave, and ocean currents. These regulations will enable, for the first time ever, the nation to tap into our ocean’s vast sustainable resources to generate clean energy in an environmentally sound and safe manner:
41. Announced a new U.S.-Mexico border initiative:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Administration-Officials-Announce-US-Mexico-Border-Security-Policy-A-Comprehensive-Response-and-Commitment
42. Concluded cyberspace policy review:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Statement-by-the-Press-Secretary-on-Conclusion-of-the-Cyberspace-Review
43. Announced a strategy to address the international nuclear threat:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-By-President-Barack-Obama-In-Prague-As-Delivered
44. Established a new “U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue”:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Statement-On-Bilateral-Meeting-With-President-Hu-Of-China
45. Announced new policy steps towards Cuba:
46. Increased minority access to capital:
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/16/increase-minority-access-to-capital
47. Issued a Presidential Memorandum on the Freedom of Information Act instructing the Attorney General to issue new guidelines to the government implementing those same principles of openness and transparency in the processing of FOIA requests:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Freedom_of_Information_Act
48. Funded the design of a new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History scheduled to open on the National Mall in 2015:
https://www.facebook.com/NMAAHC
49. The Executive Order on Presidential Records brings those principles to presidential records by giving the American people greater access to these historic documents, severely curtailing the ability to use executive privilege to shield those documents:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential_Records
50. Signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, a hallmark piece of legislation:
https://www.democrats.org/a/2009/04/edward_m_kenned.php
51. Signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure (CARD) Act to protect Americans from unfair and deceptive credit card practices:
https://www.newsunfiltered.com/archives/2010/02/pew_finds_credi.html
52. Signed an Executive Order establishing a White House Council on Women and Girls to provide a coordinated Federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and
families:
https://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/11/obamas-council-on-women-and-girls
53. Launched a U.S. financial and banking rescue plan:
https://www.america.gov/st/econ-english/2009/February/20090210163128saikceinawz0.7537805.html
54. Ordered secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere to be closed:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_site
55. Ended the previous policy; the US now has a no torture policy and is in compliance with the Geneva Convention standards:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_Accord
56. Launched U.S. Auto industry rescue plan:
https://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/31/content_11102980.htm
57. Provided better body armor to our troops:
https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2004-03-26-body-armor_x.htm
58. Authorized cutting the missile defense program by $1.4 billion in 2010:
https://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=62548
59. Restarted the nuclear nonproliferation talks and building back up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols:
https://articles.latimes.com/2009/sep/25/world/fg-obama-nuclear25
60. Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic:
https://jonbowermaster.com/blog/2009/04/obama-calls-for-limits-on-antarctic-tourism
61. Reengaged in the agreements/talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions, and addressed the U.N. Climate Change Conference:
62. Supported the first steps of a legally-binding treaty to reduce mercury emissions worldwide:
https://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/feb2009/2009-02-16-02.asp
63. Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any president in his first six months in office:
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/nov/19/chain-email/chain-e-mail-claims-obama-has-visited-more-countri
64. Managed several natural disasters successfully, including severe winter ice storms and flooding in several states:
65. Provided new car tax credit:
66. Provided attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles:
https://www.hybridcars.com/federal-incentives.html
67. Purchased fuel efficient American-made fleet of vehicles for the federal government:
https://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/2009/06/gsa-buys-210-million-worth-of-fuel-efficient-vehicles-from-us-carmakers.html
68. Endorsed Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act of 2009 that would close offshore tax havens:
https://www.financialtaskforce.org/2009/10/27/the-foreign-account-tax-compliance-act-of-2009
69. Nominated Sonia Sotomayor to Supreme Court. She was confirmed and becomes the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/06/sotomayor-confirmed-by-fu_n_253146.html
70. Helped reverse a downward spiral of the stock market. On January 19, 2009, the last day of President Bush’s presidency, the Dow closed at 8,218.22. Today, the Dow closed at 10,309.24:
https://stockcharts.com/charts/historical/djia1900.html
71. Earned an unprecedented success rate of 96.7% on winning congressional votes on issues where he took a position. He did even better than legendary arm-twister Lyndon Johnson who had a 93% success rate in 1965:
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122436116
72. Provided affordable, high-quality child care to working families:
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/244/provide-affordable-high-quality-child-care
73. Restored America’s reputation as a global leader that will do the “right thing” in world affairs:
https://pewglobal.org/docs/?DocID=12
74. Issued an executive order to create the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform:
https://money.cnn.com/2010/02/18/news/economy/obama_debt_commission/index.htm
75. Increased funding for student loans and pell grants for 2010 students:
https://www.ourfuture.org/report/2009031325/obama-s-budget-supporting-students-not-banks
76. Negotiated deal with Swiss banks to permit US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals:
https://www.law.com/jsp/law/international/LawArticleIntl.jsp?id=1202433002570
77. Provided tax credit to workers thus cutting taxes for 95% of America’s working families:
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2008/sep/18/barack-obama/a-credit-for-workers-cuts-taxes-for-middle-class
78. Cracked down on companies that deny sick pay, vacation and health insurance to workers by abusing the employee classification of independent contractor. Such companies also avoid paying Social Security, Medicare and unemployment insurance taxes for those workers:
79. Signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act that made it a federal crime to assault an individual because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity:
https://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/28/hate.crimes/index.html
80. Appointed the first Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Vice-President-Joe-Biden-Announces-Kareem-Dale-As-Special-Assistant-to-the-Preside
81. Signed the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act authorizing advance appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs by providing two-fiscal year budget authority thus enabling better medical care for veterans. Endorsed by the American Legion, American Veterans, Blinded Veter…ans Association, Disabled American Veterans, Jewish War Veterans, Military Officers Association, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Paralyzed Veterans of America and Vietnam Veterans of America:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-at-Signing-of-the-Veterans-Health-Care-Budget-Reform-and-Transparency-Act
82. Held impromptu press conference to urge Congress to investigate Anthem Blue Cross and other corporate health insurance companies that raise premiums in high amounts without explanation. Rep. Henry Waxman launches probe. In this case, Anthem Blue Cross wanted to raise premiums 39%. They have now put the increase on hold for two months (as of February 2010). Legislation preventing such increases pending:
https://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100218/hl_nm/us_usa_healthcare_insurers
83. Designated $1.5 billion from the Troubled Asset Relief Program to fund programs at local housing finance agencies in the states hardest hit by the housing crisis: California, Florida, Nevada, Arizona and Michigan. The MBA forecasts that foreclosures will peak in the last quarter of 2010:
https://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35476054/ns/business-stocks_and_economy
84. Protected 300,000 education jobs, such as teachers, principals, librarians, and counselors through the Recovery Act that would have otherwise been lost:
https://www2.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2010/02/02012010a.html
85. Extended discounted COBRA health coverage for the nation’s unemployed from 9 months to 15 months. Workers laid off between September 1, 2008 and February 28, 2010 qualify:
https://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/23/how-to-get-extended-cobra-health-coverage-subsidies
86. Extended unemployment benefits for 2,000,000 unemployed Americans by 20 weeks. At the time the bill was signed 7,000 unemployed Americans were losing their unemployment benefits each day:
https://money.cnn.com/2009/11/05/news/economy/Extending_unemployment_benefits/index.htm
87. Eliminated federal funding for abstinence-only education which was significantly increased during the Bush Administration to $176 million annually:
https://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/20/bush-teen-pregnancy-cdc-report
88. Rescinded the Global Gag Rule:
https://www.guttmacher.org/media/inthenews/2009/01/23/index.html
89. Appointed the most diverse Cabinet in history including more women appointees than any other incoming president:
https://www.diversityinc.com/content/1757/article/6319
90. Committed to no permanent military bases in Iraq through the Defense Authorization Act. For your reference:
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/132/no-permanent-bases-in-iraq
91. Provided tax credits to first-time home buyers through the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 to revitalize the U.S. housing market:
https://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com
92. Provided the Department of Veterans Affairs the largest spending increase in 30 years to improve medical facilities and national cemeteries, and to assist states in acquiring or constructing state nursing homes and extended care facilities:
https://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1671
93. Strengthened the Endangered Species Act:
https://www.stopextinction.org/media/releases/89-release-president-obama-restores-endangered-species-protections.html
94. Empowered states that legalized medical marijuana to regulate themselves. Fourteen states have allowed some use of marijuana for medical purposes: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Maryland, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/19/new-medical-marijuana-pol_n_325426.html
95. Enhanced earth mapping:
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/345/enhance-earth-mapping
96. Increased funding for national parks and forests in 2010, and plans to do it again for FY 2011:
https://www.defenders.org/newsroom/press_releases_folder/2010/02_01_2010_obamas_budget_includes_key_funding_for_land_and_water.php
97. Changed failing war strategy in Afghanistan:
https://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/12/01/obama.afghanistan/index.html
98. Allocated special funding to the Labor Department to provide green job training to veterans:
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/466/create-a-green-vet-initiative-to-promote-environ
99. Allocated funding to states and the Department of Homeland Security to save thousands of police or firefighter jobs from being cut during the recession:
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/188/increase-funding-for-local-emergency-planning
100. Created and sustained 2.1 million jobs and stimulated the economy 3.5% [as of December 31, 2009] through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:
Footnotes
(1) At https://creativeyouth.net/realobama.html
(2) “Todd Portune on CreativeYouth.net’s Catalog of Obama’s Voting Record,” July 31, 2008, at
https://www.cincinnatibeacon.com/index.php?/content/comments/todd_portune_on_creativeyouthnets_catalog_of_obamas_voting_record/
(3) Loc. cit.