The Barack Obama presidency is now just about finished, how do you think he did?
Overall, he did good.
Side Score: 26
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Not good(or terrible).
Side Score: 11
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Overall he has done pretty well. the deficit has gone down more than two-thirds during his presidency (back to 2003, 2004 levels) - ref stock markets are at record highs - ref corporate profits high - ref 78 consecutive months of private sector job growth (the longest in history) resulting in more than 15 million jobs - ref unemployment below 5% (basically full employment) - ref The current black unemployment is lower than the average for any year on record except 1999 and 2000 - ref home prices have recovered - ref wages are going up - ref poverty down - ref food stamps down - ref Non-business bankruptcies are down 40% since 2010 - ref Business bankruptcies are down more than 55% to below 2007 levels - ref Consumer Confidence Index its highest level in 9 years - ref Side: Overall, he did good.
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Some accomplishments for Diversity/Equality > Signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act > Eliminated Don't Ask Don't Tell > Extended benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees > Banned discrimination in federal workplaces based on gender identity > New HUD rule against housing discrimination based on sexual orientation > Ensured hospital visitation and medical decision-making rights for gay and lesbian patients > Gay marriage became legal > Allowed transgender Americans to receive true gender passports without surgery > Permitted military chaplains to officiate same-sex marriages where legal > Restored sexual orientation to the United Nations definition of protected human rights > Appointed the most diverse Cabinet in history > Appointed more openly gay officials than any other president in history including several openly gay judges to the federal bench > Nominated 2 women to the Supreme court > Appointed the first Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy > Signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act > Funded the design of a new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History (Now Open!!) > Signed the Fair Sentencing Act which reduces the sentencing disparity between powder and crack cocaine > Increased minority access to capital > Increased funding for the Violence Against Women Act > Signed the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act > Criminal Justice Reforms and Clemency Initiative Side: Overall, he did good.
Barack Insane Obama hasn't had a GDP growth over 3 percent in his 8 years in office. Worst president in the history of the nation when comes to GDP growth. Home ownership is at a all time low under Obama. Poverty is at a all time high under Obama. Obamacare is a train wreck. Obama and his Administration are full blown disaster Side: Not good(or terrible).
Barack Insane Obama hasn't had a GDP growth over 3 percent in his 8 years in office. Worst president in the history of the nation when comes to GDP growth. You have heard of the financial crisis in 2008, right? You do know that Obama's stimulus package prevented a second recession that could have turned into another depression, right? Also, the GDP is growing and the economy is recovering. Home ownership is at a all time low under Obama. Do you support pumping up home ownership with subsidies like Clinton and Bush did? Home ownership was artificially high and is finally going back down to the sustainable and secure levels. It is a sign of recovery. Poverty is at a all time high under Obama. True, the poverty rate went crawling up from 11.3% to 15.1% from 2000 to 2010, but went down slightly from there. Obamacare is a train wreck. You clearly don't get what you are talking about. His plan has succeeded in expanding healthcare coverage to Americans who were previously uninsured. Side: Overall, he did good.
Unemployment is at 4.9 percent and the GDP growth is at 1.1 percent annual rate. Really the Unicorns and Rainbow math does work does it not ! Won't it be great when Hillary has the GDP growth at 0.5 percent annual rate and unemployment at 2 percent. America will be thriving then don't you think ? Side: Not good(or terrible).
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I have dozens more to post, they are just on my home machine and I'm at work. ACA/Obamacare will certainly be included. Here's just a copy from a prior post I made: Insuring 20 million more people, saving tens of thousands of lives, providing insurance for those with pre-existing conditions, removing lifetime caps, limiting rescissions (getting kicked off your insurance when you go to use it), providing preventative care with no out-of-pocket cost, etc. etc. all while maintaining low rates of premium growth and healthcare inflation. Side: Overall, he did good.
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Signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which: > Expands Medicaid to all non-Medicare eligible individuals under age 65 (children, pregnant women, parents, and adults without dependent children) with incomes up to 133% FPL > CHIP-eligible children who are unable to enroll in the program due to enrollment caps will be eligible for tax credits in the state Exchanges. > Provides employers with no more than 25 employees and average annual wages of less than $50,000 that purchase health insurance for employees with a tax credit. > Guarantees issue regardless of pre-existing condition > Provides rebates to consumers if the amount spent on clinical services, quality, and other costs if it is less than 85% of the premium for plans in the large group market and 80% for plans in the individual and small group markets > Provides dependent coverage for children up to age 26 > Prohibits individual and group health plans from placing lifetime or annual cost limits on coverage > Prohibits insurers from rescinding coverage except in cases of fraud > Limits any waiting periods for coverage to 90 days > Provides grants for up to five years to small employers that establish wellness programs > Requires coverage of several preventative screenings without copay > Closes the Medicare Part D donut whole > Provides loan repayment and retention grants for nurses Side: Overall, he did good.
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Signed the CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2009 which: > Will provide coverage to about 6.5 million more children > requires states to cover dental care under the children’s health program > allows states to provide dental coverage as a supplement to private insurance > mental health parity - equal coverage of mental and physical illnesses Side: Overall, he did good.
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Some of the terrorists killed: Osama Bin Laden Saleh Ali Saleh (Somalian Al-Qaeda leader) Saleh al-Somali (Al-Qaeda Operational Commander) Abdallah Sa’id (Al-Qaeda Operational Commander) Baitullah Mahsud (Tehrik i-Taliban Pakistan leader) Tohir Yo‘ldosh (Co-founder of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan) Hussein al-Yemeni (Al-Qaeda operative) Abu Ayyub al-Masri (Al-Qaeda leader) Abu Omar al-Baghdadi (Al-Qaeda leader) Sheik Saeed al-Masri (Al-Qaeda’s number three commander) Hawza al Jawfi and 7 other known terrorists Abu Ali al Harithi (mid-level Qaeda operative) Harun Fazul East Africa's Al-Qaeda senior leader Atiyah Abd al-Rahman (Al-Qaeda No. 2) Anwar al-Awlaki (Senior Al Qaeda leader) Aslam Awan (Senior Al-Qaeda leader) Kills Fahd al-Quso (Senior Al-Qaida Leader) Abu Yahya al-Libi (No.2 leader of Al Qaeda) Ilyas Kashmiri (Al-Qaeda Commander) Abu Hafs al Shahri (Al-Qaeda's operations chief for Pakistan) Badar Mansoor (Pakistan Al-Qaeda leader) Khaled Batis (top al-Qaida militant) And many, many, many others Side: Overall, he did good.
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Some accomplishments for Small Business: > Established a State Small Business Credit Initiative to strengthen state programs that support private-sector lending to small businesses > Extended provisions raising SBA loan guarantees and eliminating fees > Doubled the maximum size of most SBA loans > Created a new $30 billion Small Business Lending Fund ------------------------ > Created or extended 18 small business tax cuts and credits: 1. New Small Business Health Care Tax Credit 2. New Tax Credit for Hiring Unemployed Workers 3. Bonus Depreciation Tax Incentives to Support New Investment 4. 75% Exclusion of Small Business Capital Gains 5. Expansion of Limits on Small Business Expensing 6. Five-Year Carryback of Net Operating Losses 7. Reduction of the Built-In Gains Holding Period for Small Businesses from 10 to 7 Years to Allow Small Business Greater Flexibility in Their Investments 8. Temporary Small Business Estimated Tax Payment Relief to Allow Small Businesses to Keep Needed Cash on Hand 9. Zero Capital Gains Taxes on Key Investments in Small Businesses: 10. The Highest Small Business Expensing Limit Ever– Up to $500,000 11. Extension of 50% Bonus Depreciation 12. New Deduction for Health Care Expenses for the Self-Employed 13. Tax Relief and Simplification for Cell Phone Deductions 14. An Increase in The Deduction for Entrepreneurs’ Start-Up Expenses 15. Five-Year Carryback Of General Business Credits 16. Limitations on Penalties for Errors in Tax Reporting That Disproportionately Affect Small Business 17. 100% expensing of qualified properties 18. Tax credit for hiring veterans Side: Overall, he did good.
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Here are 25 tax cuts from the 2009 stimulus bill (about 40% of the entire bill and the largest 2-year tax cut in history): 1. "Making Work Pay" Tax Credit (Sec. 1001, Page 195). In tax years 2009 and 2010, the Making Work Pay provision will provide a refundable tax credit of 6.2 percent of earned income up to $400 for individuals and up to $800 for married taxpayers filing joint returns. 2. Increase in the Earned Income Tax Credit (Sec. 1002, Page 198). Go to the stimulus bill for all the details, but it essentially expands this benefit for the working poor. 3. Increased Eligibility for the Refundable Portion of Child Credit (Sec. 1003, Page 199). In 2009 and 2010, families who don’t earn enough to pay income tax would be eligible to claim the $1,000 child credit. 4. "American Opportunity" Education Tax Credit (Sec. 1004, Page 199). Increases the Hope Scholarship Credit to $2,500. 5. Refundable First-time Home Buyer Credit. (Sec. 1006, Page 202). This extended and increased the first-time home buyer tax credit from $7,500 to $8,000. 6. Temporary Suspension of Taxation of Unemployment Benefits (Sec. 1007, Page 203). This exempts from taxable gross income the first $2,400 of unemployment benefits. 7. Tax Credits for Energy-Efficient Improvements to Existing Homes (Sec. 1121, Page 208). This provides up to a $1,500 tax credit for qualified energy efficiency improvements. 8. Sales Tax Deduction for Vehicle Purchases (Sec. 1008, Page 203). This allows people to write off state and local sales taxes related to the purchase of a new vehicle costing up to $49,500. 9. Premium Credits for COBRA Continuation Coverage for Unemployed Workers (Sec. 6432, Page 348) 10. Economic Recovery Credits to Recipients of Social Security, SSI, Railroad Retirement and Veterans Disability Compensation Benefits (Sec. 2201, Page 336). This was a $250 payment for senior citizens, disabled veterans and disabled people living on Social Security benefits. 11. Computers as Qualified Education Expenses in 529 Education Plans (Sec. 1005, Page 202). This allows college students to write off the expense of computers and software, provided it's for educational purpose and not for games. 12. Plug-in Electric Drive Vehicle Credit (Sec. 1141, Page 212). Allows purchasers of plug-in electric vehicles to write off up to $5,000 of their purchase (depending on the power of the battery). 13. Tax Parity for Transit Benefits (sec. 1151, Page 219). This relates to an increased exclusion amount for commuter transit benefits and transit passes. 14. Health Coverage Tax Credit Expansion (Sec. 1899, Page 309). 15. Extension of Enhanced Small Business Expensing (Sec. 1202, Page 221). This is a temporary increase in limitations on expensing some depreciable business assets. 16. 5-Year Carryback of Net Operating Losses for Small Businesses (Sec. 1211, Page 221). 17. Extension of Bonus Depreciation (Sec. 1201, Page 220). This extends by a year election to accelerate the AMT and Research Credits in lieu of bonus depreciation. 18. Exclusion of 75% of Small Business Capital Gains from Taxes (Sec. 1241, Page 228). 19. Temporary Small Business Estimated Tax Payment Relief (Sec. 1212, Page 222). 20. Temporary Reduction of S Corporation Built-In Gains Holding Period from 10 Years to 7 Years (Sec. 1251, Page 228). 21. Advanced Energy Investment Credit (Sec. 1302, Page 231). This relates to properties designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as those that produce energy from the sun, wind, geothermal deposits, fuel cells, microturbines, or an energy storage system for use with electric or hybrid-electric vehicles. 22. Tax Credits for Alternative Refueling Property (Sec. 1123, Page 211). This is a temporary increase for alternative fuel vehicle refueling businesses. 23. Work Opportunity Tax Credits for Hiring Unemployed Veterans and Disconnected Youth (Sec. 1221, Page 223). This is a tax credit to provide incentive to businesses to hire unemployed veterans and "disconnected youth." That latter term is defined, in part, as young adults "not readily employable by reason of lacking a sufficient number of basic skills." 24. Delayed Recognition of Certain Cancellation of Debt Income (Sec. 1231, Page 224). 25. Election to Accelerate Recognition of Historic AMT/R&D;Credits (Sec. 1201, Page 220). Side: Overall, he did good.
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Accomplishments in diplomacy: > Led G-20 deal that produced a $1.1 trillion to combat the global financial crisis > Renewed START treaty > In his first six months in office he visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any other president > United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act > United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act > United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act > Orchestrated multi-lateral sanctions on Iran resulting in them pouring concrete in their nuclear reactors, reducing their stockpiles by 97%, and allowing remote and on the ground monitoring Side: Overall, he did good.
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> Cash for Clunkers which pulled forward new car purchases at a time when car companies were struggling and improved overall efficiency - preventing millions of tons of pollution. > New fuel efficiency standards that will nearly double the fuel economy for cars and light trucks by 2025. > New fuel efficiency standards for medium and heavy duty trucks to cut billions in oil consumption, over a billion in CO2 emissions, and save about $170 billion in fuel costs by 2027. Side: Overall, he did good.
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Some accomplishments eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse: > Signed the Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act to stop fraud and wasteful spending in defense procurement and contracting > Negotiated deal with Swiss banks to permit US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals > Signed an Executive Order on government contracting to fight waste and abuse > Signed the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act which gives the federal government more tools to investigate and prosecute fraud > Endorsed Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act that would close offshore tax havens > Committed to phasing out the F-22 war plane and other outdates weapons systems > Established a Chief Performance Officer charged with saving the federal government money and making federal operations more efficient > Limited salaries of senior White House aides to $100,000 > Cracked down on companies that deny sick pay, vacation and health insurance to workers by abusing the independent contractor classification. Such companies also avoid paying Social Security, Medicare and unemployment insurance taxes for those workers. > Returned money authorized for refurbishment of White House offices and private living quarters Side: Overall, he did good.
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This is a vote for "not good", not for "terrible". Look, he didn't get us all killed, he didn't embarrass us on a global scale, and it's true he inherited a tremendous financial crisis and somehow got us all through it. But - his foreign policy has reaped terrible results, and domestically the way he allowed his party to shove through Obamacare was a huge tactical error which strengthened opponents enough to be able to stonewall most everything else he wanted to do. His severe critics make it sound like he's the worst President ever. Not at all true. But it's hard to say he did a good job when the nation remains red hot divided into two camps and can't seem to get anything good done anymore. Yes, Republicans share a huge amount of blame for the divide. But he played his cards wrong in the beginning, and then later in his Presidency when he had almost no cards left to play he started coming out with all these executive orders which just further entrenched the two sides. He screwed up. It's not the worst thing a President has done. But it was bad enough that it has brought us to this crossroads between establishment and nutty outsider for President. Side: Not good(or terrible).
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Epic fail. His signature legislation, Obamacare, is imploding and has resulted in skyrocketing costs, lower quality of care and uncertainty in the business community. His anti-capitalist, tax and spend, big government policies have had a chilling effect on the economy; it is on life-support from the Fed. On foreign affairs, need I really comment on that? How about disastrous, to put it mildly. Additionally, his legacy of racial strife, riots and furthering the racial divide will live long after he's gone. How's that for bringing Americans together. To sum it all up: he's incompetent and unfit for the Presidency of the United States. Side: Not good(or terrible).
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Worst President in the history of the nation. Taken race relations back at least 50 years , made a mess out of healthcare , killed jobs , worst GDP growth in history and increased the national debt more than any other president in history. Barack Obama is nothing more than what he was raised to be a Community Organizer and all he knows is how to tear down a country. Negro roots always come to the surface. Side: Not good(or terrible).
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