During the 2008 presidential election I have the privilege of serving as the Montgomery County campaign manager for then Candidate Barack Obama. I briefed my team of volunteers about the tough road we had ahead of us especially with the economy being in bad shape and with soldiers losing their lives in foreign countries.
I reminded them to stay focused on the issues that our country was facing as they went about their daily campaign tasks of canvassing, registering voters and phone banking. I asked them to concentrate on the five bullet points that were drastically affecting our country as they came down the chain of command from the National Obama 08 headquarters.
Those bullets point to hit on and to pass on to the voters were as followed. Rebuilding our Economy, Historic Health Reform, National Security, Education and Civil Rights.
During we election we all worked very hard to bring change to our nation and over the past two years President Obama has fulfilled some of these promises in just his short time in office. I would like to present to the community a report titled Promises Kept that will point out these changes and also remind us that there is still work to be done!
Promises Kept
Promises Kept is a report put together to tell the story of President Barack Obama’s first two years in office. In two years, President Obama and Organizing for America have moved America forward–through the Recovery Act, health reform, Wall Street reform, and much more.
The challenges that President Obama and this administration inherited were immense. Two wars, an economy in freefall, record deficits, and a health care system in crisis. Although there is still more work to do, we have made an incredible amount of progress over the past two years. Together, we have begun to lay a new foundation for growth, building an economy that works for all Americans.
“We meet at a moment of great uncertainty for America. The economic crisis we face is the worst since the Great Depression. … I know folks are worried. But I also know this—we can steer ourselves out of this crisis.” – Barack Obama October 2008
The report was commissioned by Organizing for America, a project for the Democratic National Committee.
Rebuilding Our Economy
Recovery Act
The Recovery Act represented the largest infrastructure investment since President Eisenhower, the largest education investment since President Johnson, and the largest clean-energy bill ever. It has saved or created as many as 3.7 million jobs across America while creating a foundation for future growth.
Wall Street Reform
Wall Street reform empowered consumers and investors, put a stop to predatory lending practices, brought shadowy Wall Street trades into the light, and ended taxpayer-funded bailouts.
Middle Class Tax Cuts
The Recovery Act reduced taxes for 95 percent of working families, putting more money in the pockets of Americans who need it most. President Obama also worked to prevent a middle-class tax increase, while extending vital unemployment benefits for Americans who lost their jobs through no fault of their own.
Credit Card Reform
These reforms put a stop to unfair credit card practices. Reform banned retroactive rate hikes, implemented new protections for students and young people, and required credit card companies to explain their terms in plain language.
Building a Clean-Energy Economy
New emissions and fuel efficiency standards for American cars and historic investments in clean-energy technologies are helping pave the way to a more sustainable future, creating new jobs and entire industries here in America.
Rebuilding the American Auto Industry
The Obama administration acted decisively to invest in America’s auto industry, preventing hundreds of thousands of job losses across the country and revitalizing the backbone of America’s manufacturing sector.
“Let’s be the generation that finally tackles our health care crisis. Let’s be the generation that says right here, right now, that we will have universal health care in America by the end of the next president’s first term.” – Barack Obama September 2008
Historic Health Reform
Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act provides stability and security to Americans who have insurance and provides affordable options for those who don’t. It lowers costs for families, businesses, and America as a whole, provides the largest middle-class tax cut for health care in our history, and puts an end to the worst insurance industry abuses.
Children’s Health Insurance
The expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) extended coverage to another 4 million low-income children, increasing the total number of children covered by the program to more than 11 million.
“I will end this war in Iraq responsibly, and finish the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. …I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. And I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future.” – Barack Obama August 28th, 2008
National Security
Ending Combat Operations in Iraq
We have ended our combat mission in Iraq and removed nearly 100,000 troops so that we can focus on fighting al Qaeda and rebuilding our nation at home.
Towards a World Without Without Nuclear Weapons
The President reached the most important arms control agreement with Russia in two decades. New START will reduce our nuclear arsenals, put inspectors on the ground in Russia, and renew America’s leadership in pursuit of a world without nuclear weapons. President Obama also rallied the world behind a plan to secure all nuclear material from terrorists within four years, fulfilling a key campaign promise.
A New Strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan
The United States and our allies have gone on the offense in Afghanistan, in Pakistan, and around the world to ensure that al Qaeda and other terrorists do not have any safe place from which to plan future attacks on America.
“Now is the time to finally meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education, because it will take nothing less to compete in the global economy. … I will not settle for an America where some kids don’t have that chance.” – Barack Obama August 2008
Education
Reforming Student Lending
President Obama signed into law student loan reform that makes college more affordable for students and families and will save American taxpayers roughly $68 billion over the next 10 years. Spurring innovation Programs like “Race to the Top” and “Educate to Innovate” are giving American schools and states the tools and resources they need to be successful.
A New GI Bill
The implementation of the Post-9/11 GI Bill increased educational opportunities for veterans by making college more affordable for returning service members.
“As president I’ll support the complete repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’” – Barack Obama October 2008
Civil Rights
Repealing “Don’t Ask , Don’t Tell”
President Obama signed legislation that will bring an end to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” strengthening our national security and ending this discriminatory law.
Protecting Against Hate Crimes
The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act gives law enforcement officials new tools to prosecute those who commit hate crimes.
Fair Pay for Women
The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act makes it easier for women to challenge unequal pay practices, which helps all Americans earn a fair wage.
As we approach the halfway point of President Obama’s first term, the list of accomplishments already dwarfs that of many of his predecessors. The actions taken by this administration and by Democrats in Congress have eased the burden on middle-class families, making it easier for working parents to meet their families’ daily needs while opening doors of opportunity for their children. Together, these accomplishments form a foundation for a new generation of prosperity, a new era of possibility, and a new century of American greatness.
“This president has delivered more sweeping, progressive change in 20 months than the previous two Democratic administrations did in 12 years.” – Tim Dickinson October 2010
Please visit this link to down load the full version of this report.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/PromisesKept/?source=BOfeature
Editor’s Note: Terry McMoore was the head of Clarksville for Obama during the 2008 election.
Mr. McMoore, what about all the simularities to him and Bush. You point out something about civil rights, yet Obama administration still carries out the use of rendention, just like Bush did. Gipmo is still open and in use, just like Bush, they are restarting the military tribunals, just like Bush. The patriot Act, pushed by Bush which was a assault of our rights and Obama signed to re-up this law. The credit card reform does nothing but hurt the good people, makes the big bankers richer, which banks was both supporter of Bush and Obama. And this forces those with bad credit to turn to pay day loans which is worse. Bush started the bailouts starting with banks, and Obama continued on with his bailouts. I wont even go into all the failures of his administration, cause they are far too numerous to mention. I think what Obama has shown, besides a few small things, there is no difference in big time politices, the R and D are just distractions. They both are protecting the same big business people that run this country. Under both administrations they have pushed policies that has taken away our rights. Maybe after the last 12 years the american people will wake up and start taking back power from the select few and give it back to the people.