According to Wikipedia, Watson is a “professor, author, frequent media commentator, and former [unsuccessful] candidate for the United States House of Representatives. …Politically, Watson has [surprise!] advocated universal health care and strengthening environmental protections… …In 2006, Watson and Yury Konnikov founded the non-profit think tank Think Act Lead, which advocates political reforms and progressive [i.e., socialist] solutions to public problems; the two also direct The Civics Campaign, which offers free civic education initiatives and [surprise again!] promotes community service.”

The professor’s absurd “list of great things Obama has done in his first year in office” is something I would normally ignore. There is no point in wasting time rebutting the nonsensical and false arguments of brainwashed Obamatons who will go to their graves believing they are morally and culturally superior to everyone else. But after some thought, I considered the vast number of Americans who are being exposed to the onslaught of Obama propaganda, and realized that they might benefit from a point-by-point rebuttal of the professor’s list. (My points are in red italics.)

Don Fredrick

January 23, 2009

www.colony14.net

***********************************************************************

Writes Watson:

Hi friends,

I am always being asked to grade Obama's presidency. In place of offering him a grade, I put together a list of his accomplishments thus far. I think you would agree that it is very impressive. His first six months have been even more active than FDRs or LBJs the two standards for such assessments. [Because they are possessive, there should be apostrophes: FDR’s or LBJ’s; one would think a professor should know that. There should also be punctuation of some sort, such as a dash, after “LBJs.” Granted, FDR and LBJ were indeed “active” in their presidencies, but that is not admirable if their activities were in conflict with individual liberties and the U.S. Constitution. FDR, for example, took the United States off the gold standard and confiscated gold owned by Americans. Had the nation remained on the gold standard it would not have massive annual deficits or a national debt that can never be repaid.] Yet, there is little media attention given to much of what he has done. Of late, the media is focusing almost exclusively on Obama’s critics, without holding them responsible for the uncivil, unconstructive tone of their disagreements or without holding the previous administration responsible for getting us in such a deep hole. The misinformation and venom that now passes for political reporting and civic debate is beyond description. [I am not sure what media Watson follows, but the sycophantic media the rest of us have witnessed was mostly responsible for the election of a dangerous leftist ideologue intent on transforming the United States into a carbon copy of European socialist states. As far as “holding the previous administration responsible,” the liberal lemmings of the mainstream media have bashed George W. Bush unmercifully since 2000—albeit with a brief respite after 9/11. And with regard to “misinformation” and “venom,” one can readily absorb the recommended daily requirement by watching an hour or two of MSNBC each evening. That networks’ resident  unhinged leftist commentator, Keith Olbermann,  remarked, “In short, in Scott Brown we have an irresponsible, homophobic, racist, reactionary, ex-nude model, tea-bagging supporter of violence against woman and against politicians with whom he disagrees. In any other time in our history, this man would have been laughed off the stage as an unqualified and a disaster in the making by the most conservative of conservatives. Instead, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is close to sending this bad joke to the Senate of the United States.” Olbermann preferred candidate Martha Coakley, who did her best not to prosecute a man who raped his 23-month-old niece with a hot curling iron, and who withheld information about the girl’s testimony from the grand jury—because his father was a top union official contributing to Coakley’s campaign.]

As such, there is a need to set the record straight. What most impresses me is the fact that Obama has accomplished so much not from a heavy-handed or top-down approach but from a style that has institutionalized efforts to reach across the aisle, encourage vigorous debate, and utilize town halls and panels of experts in the policy-making process. [Obama has been the epitome of heavy-handedness. He has made no effort to “reach across the aisle,” bludgeons Republicans every chance he gets, has avoided policy debates, and surrounded himself with thugs like Rahm Emanuel, David Axelrod, and Valerie Jarrett. Obama’s “panels of experts” have consisted of left-wing ideologues, primarily in lock-step with the socialist think-tank, the Center for American Progress. (Watson is a clearly a pompous professor, feeling it necessary to write “utilize” when normal people would write “use.” And regarding those town hall meetings, Obama clearly did “use” them, frequently placing “plants” in the audience to ask softball questions to which he could respond with memorized talking points. The true town hall meetings took place in the summer of 2009, when Americans were up in arms over ObamaCare and Democrat congressmen were pummeled by angry constituents who saw their freedoms being unraveled and their wallets lifted.]

Beyond the accomplishments, the process is good for democracy and our democratic processes have been battered and bruised in recent years. [The United States is a republic, not a democracy.]

Let me know if I missed anything in the list (surely I did). [He got a dog for his daughters.]

Robert

1. [Obama] Ordered all federal agencies to undertake a study and make recommendations for ways to cut spending

and

2. Ordered a review of all federal operations to identify and cut wasteful spending and practices

The federal budget deficit in Obama’s first year—about $1.4 trillion—is approximately three times the deficit of Bush’s final year in office—about $450 billion. Bush should be ashamed, and Obama should be three times as ashamed. Obama’s budget cutting results were infinitesimal, amounting to suggestions such as “using both sides of a piece of paper.” One of the few department cuts made by Obama was in the budget of the staff that investigates corruption in labor unions. Obama also ordered an end to the federal oversight of the operations of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters… arguing that Teamsters would no longer abuse their power.

3. Instituted enforcement for equal pay for women

Obama had nothing to do with The Civil Rights Act of 1964, which made it illegal to discriminate on the basis of race or gender.

Watson is probably referring to Obama signing the “Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act,” which extends by 180 days the statute of limitations for filing a claim of pay discrimination based on gender. Ledbetter, who had worked 19 years for Goodyear Tire and Rubber in Alabama, earned less than her male co-workers did. After she retired, she sued Goodyear, which correctly argued that the statute of limitations had run out. The Supreme Court properly ruled in Goodyear’s favor. The court did not address the issue of whether there had been any discrimination. Goodyear argued there had not, and submitted Ledbetter’s many substandard performance appraisals to support its case. After the bill signing ceremony, Michelle Obama remarked that Ledbetter “…knew unfairness when she saw it, and was willing to do something about it because it was the right thing to do”—when in fact Ledbetter took no action for 19 years. (In signing the bill, Obama broke the campaign promise he had made to pro-abortion supporters that the first piece of legislation he would sign would be the Freedom of Choice Act, which would overturn all state pro-life laws, including prohibitions against partial-birth abortions and parental notification requirements for minors seeking abortions. Obama also signed the Ledbetter bill without first posting the text on the Internet for five days, as he promised he would do with all non-emergency legislation.)

The argument that women earn only 70 cents for every dollar earned by men (or whatever amount is currently used by the person making the argument) is completely bogus. Comparing the total average pay earned by all women with the total average pay earned by all men is a meaningless exercise, because they do not all perform the same work. Most working men earn less than Oprah Winfrey. Is that proof of gender discrimination? No. Most working women earn less than Bill Gates. Is that proof of gender discrimination? No.

Granted, most kindergarten teachers earn less than ironworkers who construct skyscrapers. So what? Women can apply for those jobs if they wish to walk steel girders hundreds of feet in the air. The question is not “Do kindergarten teachers earn as much as ironworkers?” The question is, “Do female ironworkers with the same training, skills, and experience earn the same as men doing the same work?” If the answer is yes, then shut up. If the answer is no, then file a discrimination claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and cite the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The total average pay of men and women will never be equal, because they are not all doing the same work.

Obama has done absolutely nothing to enforce equal pay for women—and has no need to. The relevant law has been on the books since 1964. What Obama did was make it easier for workers to sue their employers—long after the fact. (If you are stupid enough to need 19 years to figure out that your pay is less than that of your co-workers, you probably deserved to be fired long ago.) The result of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act  will not be equal or fair pay, it will be lawyers doing their best to skim millions off jury awards, while the consumers are stuck with the costs that businesses have to pass on to consumers in higher prices.

4. Beginning the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq

The troop drawdown began under President Bush. It was made possible by the troop surge—which Obama adamantly opposed. Obama is following the Bush policies in Iraq, and will leave a significant military presence there for years.

5. Families of fallen soldiers have expenses covered to be on hand when the body arrives at Dover AFB

This sentence is ungrammatical and unclear. The families of fallen soldiers certainly do not get billed for the transport of the body back to the United States.

6. Ended media blackout on war casualties; reporting full information

and

7. Ended media blackout on covering the return of fallen soldiers to Dover AFB; the media is now permitted to do so pending adherence to respectful rules and approval of fallen soldier’s family

There has been no blackout on the number of casualties, but there have been restrictions on media coverage of coffins being returned to the United States. Ending the restrictions allowed Obama to have a “photo opportunity” at Dover Air Force Base as he saluted one of the caskets as it was unloaded. The White House press corps was invited to ensure that Obama was photographed at the staged event. The White House had to seek permission from the families in order to do so; purportedly only one of 18 did so. The remains of Dale R. Griffin, from Terre Haute, Indiana, were the last to be taken from the plane—and photographs were allowed only for that final casket. Obama received considerable criticism for the early morning (4 a.m.) activity, mostly because there was no need to invite the press corps and turn it into a “photo-op.”

RedState.com noted that President Bush never staged any such photo-ops. He would meet privately with members of the fallen soldier’s family, and there was “…no fanfare. The families were taken to a large area and were briefed before the President’s arrival so they would know what to expect…  In every instance, President Bush would come into the room, make a few short remarks and then meet with families. In every instance he would talk to individual family members about anything they wanted to talk about, he never rushed them and he stayed until the families suggested he should talk to someone else. There was always a White House photographer present to take pictures that were made available ONLY to the families. Repeat, O.N.L.Y. the families. The press was NEVER present. There was NEVER an announcement from the White House that the President was meeting with the families of the fallen nor were they ever recognized publicly at the event. Their privacy, and their loss, was always respected. …Which brings me to the self-serving bastard who occupies the White House today. He went to Dover. One might think it was to pay respect to the fallen coming home. Wrong. It was for a G*d damn photo op. He took the White House Press Corps with him and made his visit about him.” (In July 2008, Obama canceled a visit to wounded troops at U.S. military bases in Germany after he learned the military would not allow campaign photographers to politicize the event; there was no point in bothering to look sympathetic and caring if no cameras would be present to record the event.)

There have been 319 U.S. military deaths in Afghanistan (there were 155 in 2008), and 152 in Iraq since Obama took office.

Watson perhaps feels that Americans should learn the horrors of war by getting a steady body count on the evening newscasts. I have no problem with that, and networks are and have been free to report or not report those numbers. If Watson wants Americans to see video footage of American troops as they are being killed on the battlefield, I would only ask that they also be shown the videos of Muslims slicing off the heads of Christians and Jews, and the process of a partial-birth abortion. It is undoubtedly uncomfortable to see a Marine being blown to bits by an I.E.D. It is also uncomfortable to view Muslim children decapitating an “infidel” or an abortionist puncturing an infant’s skull and extracting its brains with a suction device.

8. The White House and federal government are respecting the Freedom of Information Act

This claim is laughable. The Obama administration has fought a FOIA request from Freedom Watch for documents relating to the involvement of special interest groups in writing the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) legislation.

On November 13, 2009 DebbieSchlussel.com broke the story that the Selective Service System registration form showing Obama registered for the draft may be a forgery. The form’s document location number (DLN), 0897080632, indicates a 2008 entry into the federal system, because the first two digits (08) indicate the year. (Had Obama registered in 1980, the first two digits of the DLN would have been 80, rather than 08.) Obama’s document also appears to be a 1990 form, modified to look like a 1980 form. The date the form was signed is July 30, 1980, yet the form has a date stamp of July 29. A retired federal agent had requested the Obama form via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). It took almost a full year for the document to be found and a copy given to him.

New York resident Christopher Earl Strunk filed a lawsuit demanding that Obama-related documents he requested through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) be provided to him as required by law. Both the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security have refused to release the requested documents, which include passport applications for Obama and his mother, Stanley Ann Dunham.

Obama’s pledge of “transparency” in his administration shows no sign of being honored, as Newsweek’s Michael Isikoff pointed out in a column called “Obama Closes Door on Openness.” Attorney and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) expert David Sobel said “nothing has changed,” and “For a president who said he was going to bring unprecedented transparency to government, you would certainly expect more than the recycling of old Bush secrecy policies.” According to Isikoff, Obama’s lawyers intentionally included “loopholes” in Obama’s January 21 Executive Order 13489. Obama’s order revoked a prior order relating to the privacy of presidential records. The new order describes rules defining executive privilege, control of records in the National Archives, and the release of records under FOIA. The changes will make it more difficult to obtain access to records of the self-described “most transparent administration in history.” (As an example, Obama refused to release White House visitor logs. In his view, the American public is not entitled to know who meets with him in the Oval Office.)

The public interest law firm Judicial Watch filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to obtain documents disclosing campaign contributions from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Release of the documents may shed light on whether political favors were expected or received from politicians who received substantial contributions. Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Obama, and Senator John Kerry (D-MA) are believed to be the top three recipients of campaign cash from the two government sponsored entities, Judicial Watch is still waiting for the documents.

The Competitive Enterprise Institute was successful in using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to obtain federal documents pertaining to the proposed “cap-and-trade” global warming legislation. However, several documents obtained through FOIA were heavily censored, and one read, “It will raise energy prices and impose annual costs on the order of…”—with the rest of the sentence blacked out. The Obama administration wants the legislation passed, but does not want Americans to know what it will cost them. Further, Obama kept the cost estimates hidden from House Democrats, allowing them to approve the bill despite the harm he knew it would do to the economy.

Late on October 30, the Obama administration finally released a list of some of the visitors to the White House covering the period January 20 through July 31. The White House tried for months to avoid making any names public, vigorously fighting Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests—and after finally relenting brags about Obama’s openness and transparency. But the list only provides a name if someone asked whether that name is on the list. (If Charles Manson visited the White House but no one asked specifically whether Charles Manson visited, his name will not be included on any released list.)

Freedom Watch filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit in district court demanding that the White House release documentation of Obama administration meetings with health care lobbyists. According to TheHill.com, the lawsuit “…refers to reports of meetings between administration officials on the ‘Health Reform De Facto Advisory Committee’ and lobbyists representing the pharmaceutical industry, Planned Parenthood, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, AARP and others.” Freedom Watch is still waiting for the documents.

The Washington Post has reported that “More than 300 individuals and groups have sued the government to get records in the year since …Obama pledged that his administration would be the most open in history.” FOIA lawsuits can be filed only after a request for information has been repeatedly rejected.

9. Instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible

Americans are still waiting. The “as much as possible” is probably a key disclaimer.

10. Limits on lobbyist’s access to the White House

This “accomplishment” barely warrants a response. One of the most frequent visitors to the White House has been Andy Stern, with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). The entire health care legislation process has been a parade of lobbyists in and out of the White House. Obama made a deal with pharmaceutical companies that Obamacare would “go easy” on them if they spent millions on ads pushing the legislation. To further get “big Pharma’s” support, Obama agreed to extend the time brand name drugs could be sold without generic competition, thus placing the interests of his legislative goals head of American citizens who worry about the high cost of medications.

11. Limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration

Whether this is a meaningful accomplishment remains to be seen, as few top officials have left the Obama administration so far. Some who have, like “green jobs czar” Van Jones, immediately found employment with John Podesta’s Center for American Progress (CAP), the aforementioned leftist think tank fund partially by socialist billionaire, former Nazi sympathizer, and Obama pal George Soros. The CAP lobbies for socialist policies and drafts legislation for Obama. With the CAP’s hiring of Jones, Obama has arguably already broken his pledge to limit lobbying of former administration employees.

Obama has also signed several dozen “ethics waivers” to allow former lobbyists to work in his administration. The term “ethics waiver” itself gives an idea of Obama’s lack of same.

12. Ended the previous stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date

Americans join the Armed Forces to defend the United States of America. If the war is just, the amount of time served is irrelevant. Tens of thousands of Americans served for years in Europe and Japan during World War II without coming home until the conclusion of fighting. While it is undoubtedly preferable for the families of soldiers to get them home as soon as possible, their job comes first. If they do not like the rules, they should not enlist.

13. Phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane and other outdated weapons systems, which weren't even used or needed in Iraq/Afghanistan

The cancellation of the F-22 is not an Obama accomplishment—it is a huge mistake. The F-22 Raptor fighter jet is not outdated. It is the world’s most advanced multi-role air superiority aircraft. Obama’s cancellation of the F-22 program cost 5,000 American jobs. The F-22 is the only American fighter that can effectively evade the Russian S-300 surface-to-air missile. Obama clearly does not understand airpower, but Russia—which is likely selling the S-300 system to Iran—certainly does. Without the F-22, it will be more difficult to attack Iranian nuclear sites should the need arise. If American pilots strike Iran with the F-35 rather than the F-22 and are brought down by the S-300, it will be Obama’s fault.

General John Corley, head of the Air Force Combat Command, has stated, “At Air Combat Command we have held the need for 381 F-22s to deliver a tailored package of air superiority to our combatant commanders and provide a potent, globally arrayed, asymmetric deterrent against potential adversaries. In my opinion, a [reduced] fleet of [only]187 F-22s puts execution of our current national military strategy at high risk in the near to mid-term.”

Obama has also decided not to sell the F-22 to Israel… the only democracy and our strongest ally in the Middle East. Obama’s refusal of the sale was meant to “punish” Israel for its unwillingness to give away strategic land to the Palestinians—land that would put its Tel Aviv airport within range of Hamas terrorist rockets.

In November, Obama visited Alaska and delivered a speech to Air Force personnel at Elmendorf Air Force Base. The Weekly Standard reported that White House aides demanded that an F-22 parked in the hanger “be changed to an older F-15 fighter because they didn’t want Obama speaking in front of the F-22, a controversial program he fought hard to end. ‘White House aides actually made them remove the F-22-said they would not allow POTUS [President of The United States] to be pictured with the F-22 in any way, shape, or form.’ one source close to the unit relayed.” Noted the Standard, “And keep in mind, Obama was happy to have his picture taken with Hugo Chavez and Daniel Ortega, but the F-22—a plane that Americans can and should be proud of… Obama had them move it out of the shot.” Quipped the article’s headline: “What Do the Dalai Lama and the F-22 Have in Common? Answer: Obama won’t pose for a picture with either of them.”

Meanwhile, Aviation Week reported, “A Chinese fighter of nominally the same technology generation as the Lockheed Martin F-22 will soon enter flight testing…” Obama ordered the cancellation of additional advanced F-22 fighters, arguing that no other nation had a competitive plane. Chinese General He Weirong stated that the plane “…may soon undergo its first flight, quickly enter flight testing and then quickly equip the [Chinese] forces.” Richard Fischer, of the International Assessment and Strategy Center, commented, “…one has to be asking very hard questions: How did the U.S. intelligence community get this one wrong? And inasmuch as no one expects the F-35 to replace the F-22 in the air superiority role, is it time to acknowledge that F-22 production termination is premature and that a much higher number is needed to sustain deterrence in Asia?” (It is unclear why a private aviation magazine knows more about China’s military achievements and plans than the Obama administration.)

14. Removed restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research

and

15. Federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research

Word leaked on March 6, 2009 that Obama would soon sign an executive order reversing restrictions on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. Tax dollars would then be used for obtaining stem cells from aborted fetuses, as scientists start applying for taxpayer-funded grants through the National Institute of Health. Researchers want Obama to reverse the policy in order to receive NIH money. Non-controversial research on adult stem cells has so far produced 72 cures and treatments, while worldwide embryonic stem cell research has produced none. (In fact, one Israeli child with a lethal brain disease was injected with fetal stem cells that ended up triggering fatal tumors in his brain and spinal cord.) Most private money has flowed to adult stem cell research because it has been yielding results. Investors know there are yet no proven uses for embryonic stem cells. Some supporters of abortion view embryonic stem cell research as a way to justify abortions by creating an aura of a “noble cause” around the gruesome practice.

On March 9, Obama signed an executive order allowing taxpayer dollars to fund research using embryonic stem cells. Obama called his decision a “difficult and delicate balance.” (It is unclear why the decision should be difficult. Killing a fetus for medical research would seem, to someone like Obama who supports unrestricted abortions, easily more justifiable than killing a fetus because the mother simply decided not to have the baby). Obama also indirectly brought up the global-warming controversy, saying that promoting science “…is about letting scientists like those here today do their jobs, free from manipulation or coercion, and listening to what they tell us, even when it’s inconvenient especially when it’s inconvenient. It is about ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda and that we make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology.” Obama laughingly contradicts himself with his statement because he has already decided for the nation that the “science is settled” with regard to man-caused global warming; in May 2007 Obama voted for a bill that requires global warming be factored into federal project plans—hardly a reasonable requirement if the government should be making “…decisions based on fact, not ideology.” (An agreement disputing any global warming crisis has been signed by more than 31,000 American scientists, a number more than sufficient to refute Obama’s claim that there is a “consensus” on man-caused global warming. A Gallup poll found that 41 per cent of Americans believe that climate change warnings are exaggerated. The president of the European Union, Czech president Vaclav Klaus, has stated that global warming alarmists “want to change us and our behavior. Their ambition is to control and manipulate us.”)

Generally unreported by the media was Obama’s related action to rescind Bush’s executive order that provided federal funding for “induced pluripotent stem cell” research, which uses adult stem cells mimicking embryonic stem cells, but without their associated high risk of inducing tumors. Obama’s executive order therefore eliminates federal funding for the more promising research, while authorizing funding for what is less promising and riskier.

Obama’s stem cell policy comments included the remark that “…we will ensure that our government never opens the door to the use of cloning for human reproduction,” apparently leaving the door open for cloning for other purposes—not so that parents can someday be able to “re-create” a child that dies, but to clone a human for the purpose of killing it to obtain its stem cells. Lobbyists have already pushed legislation that would legalize cloning human embryos for harvesting their stem cells. Obama’s executive order means that taxpayer funds will now be used to create and then kill human life for the sole purpose of scientific experimentation and exploitation. (A California company dealing with in vitro fertilization already advertises “gender selection,” allowing pregnant mothers to choose to have an early abortion should the fetus have the “wrong” gender, eye color, or hair color.) Obama does not make clear why cloning for the purpose of creating life is worse than cloning for the purpose of destroying it.

Former President Bill Clinton was interviewed by CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta and, in an attempt to defend Obama’s executive order on stem cell experimentation, inadvertently revealed an astounding ignorance of the origin of human life. Clinton remarked that “I think the American people believe it’s a pro-life decision to use an embryo that’s frozen that’s never going to be fertilized for embryonic stem cell research” and says that scientists should only use embryos that “have been placed beyond the pale of being fertilized before their use.” Clinton apparently does not understand that there is no such thing as an “unfertilized embryo”—it is the egg that is unfertilized. The embryo is by definition the result of an egg that has been fertilized. When Clinton argues that he opposes stem cell experimentation if there is any chance that the embryo can become a human being, he is missing the point because the embryo already is a human being. Researchers cannot, as Clinton seems to suggest, use stem cells from unfertilized eggs because there are none; the stem cells do not exist until the egg has been fertilized and the embryo forms. (That is why they are called embryonic stem cells; there is no such thing as an “egg stem cell.”) Clinton is either colossally ignorant or he is playing with words to make stem cell research seem less objectionable to people who do not know any better. Gupta—who certainly should know better—did not correct Clinton. (Gupta, along with other CNN personalities, has been a “featured attendee” at Clinton Global Initiative annual meetings and perhaps does not want to harm his chances of being denied future invitations from the former president.)

16. New federal funding for science and research labs

I am not familiar with the amounts budgeted for such purposes. In general, however, science and research should be funded with private capital and donations, not government cash. There is no authority in the Constitution for the federal government to pass out tax dollars to fund such activities, nor is it appropriate for federal bureaucrats to pick winners and losers.

17. States are permitted to enact federal fuel efficiency standards above federal standards

This Obama action will dramatically increase the cost of automobiles. If, for example, California, New York, and Illinois each pass different emissions standards, the automakers must either produce cars specifically for each of those markets—or they must produce cars that meet all of those standards. The added production costs must necessarily be passed on to the consumers in the form of higher vehicle process. (The “limousine liberals” will still get to ride around in stretch Cadillacs, of course, while Americans will be forced into unsafe econoboxes that only Ed Begley, Jr. would love.)

18. Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants) after years of neglect

It is reasonable to repair roads and bridges that have been neglected. But Obama has insisted that all such work be done with union labor. That dramatically increases the cost of the projects, and prevents most companies from obtaining the work—or even bidding on the projects. Those non-union companies are more likely to be minority-owned or have a higher percentage of minority workers. The nation’s first (half-) black president has therefore made it more difficult for blacks in the construction industry to find work.

19. Funds for high-speed, broadband Internet access to K-12 schools

Education is a local issue. If schools want high-speed internet access, it should be funded by the local school districts and approved by the local school boards—which are accountable to the residents of the area.

20. New funds for school construction

Again, education is a local issue. If existing schools need repairs or new schools are needed, those expenses should be funded by the local school districts and approved by the local school boards—which are accountable to the residents of the area.

21. The prison at Guantanamo Bay is being phased out

This is not an accomplishment, it is merely a political move meant to placate leftists and the media. The detainee center at Guantanamo is already paid for and is a model facility. Moving the terrorists somewhere else will only cost additional tax dollars. The argument that Guantanamo is a “recruiting tool” for al-Qaeda is ludicrous. The very existence of the United States and its non-Muslim culture is al-Qaeda’s recruiting tool. The World Trade Centers were attacked in 1993 and 2001, long before the existence of Camp Gitmo. The USS Cole was struck long before the existence of Camp Gitmo. If Gitmo is closed, al-Qaeda will still be recruiting terrorists and attacking Western targets. Moving the terrorists to the United States only makes it easier for them to get civilian show trials and increases the likelihood of their release.

22. US Auto industry rescue plan

General Motors and Chrysler should not have been bailed out. They should have followed the traditional bankruptcy process and the taxpayers would have been better off. Instead, Americans will be throwing tens of billions of dollars down the GM and Chrysler rat holes for decades, as they have done with Amtrak. The cash loaned to GM and Chrysler is likely never to be repaid, and the federal subsidies will only serve to encourage the mismanagement and union abuses at those companies. Obama’s auto industry actions were a political payoff to the unions that funded his campaign.

23. Housing rescue plan

There is no justification for using tax dollars to bail out homeowners who made unsound financial decisions. The “rescue plan” serves to subsidize and encourage bad decisions, while those who did not buy homes they could not afford are left paying the bills.

24. $789 billion economic stimulus plan

The $787 billion (not $789 billion) “stimulus” plan did little but stimulate government employment, in an effort to create perpetual Democrat voters who know who is buttering their bread. Much of the $787 billion was used to bail out state budgets, and to increase welfare programs, food stamp programs, etc. Very little good came from the $787 billion; the few jobs in the private sector it may have created are mostly temporary, and came at an incredibly expensive price tag. Those who support the spending need to stop to consider what Americans did not buy because that $787 billion was taken from them in the form of taxes. Every dollar spent by the federal government is a dollar removed from the private sector.

25. The public can meet with federal housing insurers to refinance (the new plan can be completed in one day) a mortgage if they are having trouble paying

This program has been a colossal failure. Very few homeowners have been helped and, for the most part, those who have been assisted are expected to end up losing their homes to foreclosure anyway—because they never could afford the homes they bought.

26. US financial and banking rescue plan

Just as Lehman Brothers was allowed to fail, so should the other institutions have been allowed to fail. Actions have consequences. Companies that made bad investments deserve to go out of business; that is how capitalism works. Bailing out businesses that made bad decisions only encourages them to continue making bad decisions.

27. The secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere are being closed

This is not true. CIA “black sites” still exist.

28. Ended the previous policy; the US now has a no torture policy and is in compliance with the Geneva Convention standards

Obama certainly did not end the previous policy; the practice of “waterboarding” (which many would not consider torture and which was used on only three high-value terrorists) had already been discontinued by the Bush administration—before Obama even announced he was running for president.

29. Better body armor is now being provided to our troops

This was begun under the Bush administration; Obama is merely continuing the practice.

30. The missile defense program is being cut by $1.4 billion in 2010

This is not an accomplishment, it is a major mistake. With Iran and North Korea both working overtime on their nuclear weapon and missile systems, now is not the time to cut back on the missile defense system. Obama’s decision to cancel the system planned for Poland and the Czech Republic frightened and angered U.S. allies in Eastern Europe—but no doubt made Russia happy. Obama made the decision without any attempt to extract concessions from Russia, even though he knew Putin and Medvedev wanted the U.S. system canceled. Obama is no poker player.

31. Restarted the nuclear nonproliferation talks and building back up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols

Obama dropped the ball and allowed START to expire. At midnight on December 4, 2009 the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) between the United States and Russia expired. Although Obama has spoken often of a “world without nuclear weapons,” he has been unable to negotiate a new START agreement with Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs stated that Obama and Medvedev “…are going to continue working and we’ll see throughout the weekend what they are going to come up with. I think there are issues that are on both sides of this that each side wants to see worked out,” but both sides believe they “can work through these issues with a little more time.” With the expiration of START, the United States lost its on-site inspectors at the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant located 600 miles east of Moscow, where all Russian Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) are manufactured. On October 20 Obama agreed to remove the U.S. inspectors when START expired, choosing not to negotiate a renewal of their presence. President Reagan and the Soviet Union’s Mikhail Gorbachev had agreed to continuous monitoring under the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. Obama apparently now trusts Russia to tell the United States how many long-range missiles it is building. (The United States stopped producing long-range missiles.) President Reagan’s “Trust, but verify,” thus has become, “Take their word for it.” An Obama administration official states, “The nature of our relationship has changed, and we have a pretty good idea about where Russia’s missile program is headed.”

32. Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic

This is a “gimme” that any president could have accomplished (Arguably, the Antarctic needs little protection because the cost of operating there is so high that bases would never be established for frivolous purposes. There are no McDonald’s restaurants or Wal-Marts at the South Pole and there likely never will be.)

33. Reengaged in the agreements/talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions

A. Obama did not “reengage” anything; the United States was never disengaged. The Bush administration was as involved with the United Nations “global warming” crowd as was the Clinton administration. Both Bush and Clinton knew that the U.S. Senate would never agree to significant restrictions on U.S.  industry for the sake of “global warming.” Gore’s endorsement of the Kyoto treaty was meaningless; the U.S. Senate voted 95–0 to ignore it. (The U.S. government should never have been involved with the issue in the first place. The entire man-caused global warming hypothesis is a scam, designed to further one-world socialism and line the pockets of the politically-connected.)

B. Perform an Internet search on: Climategate.

C. Go here: http://www.kusi.com/weather/colemanscorner/81583352.html

34. Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any president in his first six months in office

And the point here is what? The number of nations Obama happened to visit is meaningless. (Perhaps he collected souvenir spoons at each stop, for a future Presidential Library collection.) Columnist Mort Zuckerman—certainly no conservative—notes, “Unfortunately, there is not much solace in international affairs either, where, again, expectations were so pumped up. America’s image is better, no doubt, but uncertainty and procrastination prevail. One major international political leader recently put it well: ‘Not only does the leadership of this region not think that Obama is strong enough to confront his enemies; they aren’t sure he is strong enough to support his friends.’ The administration seems ‘hopelessly naive,’ according to one Arab foreign minister, and unable to face the full truth about Islamic terrorism. The public frustration over the administration’s mismanagement of the latest jihadist attempt to blow up a plane with all its innocent travelers (on Christmas Day) was captured in the New York Daily News headline ‘Mr. President, it’s time to get a grip!’”

As an example of an Obama foreign policy blunder, although Obama did not visit Honduras, his actions with regard to that action certainly showed him to be on the wrong side of freedom. Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, intent on becoming president for life even though he was prohibited from running again under his country’s constitution, got help from Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez in printing ballots for an illegal referendum. Zelaya was warned by the Honduran supreme court to cease and desist—or face removal from office. Zelaya continued with his plans, and the government legally removed him from office. Authorities found computers already rigged with results that gave Zelaya a victory—before citizens even went to the polls. What did Obama do? Obama, along with Chavez and Brazil’s socialist president, sided with Zelaya, calling the removal of Zelaya a “coup.” It was not a coup; the action was in accordance with the laws of Honduras—which Zelaya had violated. The U.S. State Department eventually gave in and agreed to support the results of the next presidential election, with Zelaya properly not on the ballot. Throughout the process, the citizens of Honduras wondered why Obama was taking sides with a brutal thug. American citizens should wonder the same thing.

35. Successful release of US captain held by Somali pirates; authorized the SEALS to do their job

The Navy SEALS rescued the ship caption despite Obama, not because of Obama. Obama’s interference with the pirate/hostage situation significantly delayed the rescue operation. Obama had first ordered the Navy not to attempt a rescue; he insisted on a “peaceful outcome” without the killing of the Muslim pirates. Although Navy Seals arrived quickly at the scene and could have taken out the pirates, Obama purportedly insisted on no action until “his people” (FBI agents) arrived. (Apparently Obama does not consider the U.S. military “his people.”) That took an additional 24 hours or more of preparations and flying time. The FBI could only negotiate because they did not have the shooting skills of the Navy Seals. When Captain Phillips first jumped overboard from the lifeboat, the Navy snipers could then have taken out the captors, but Obama had specifically restricted the use of force unless the hostage’s life was in imminent danger… and the pirates were able to force Phillips back on board. Eventually the on scene commander (OSC) took it upon himself to decide whether Phillips’ life was in imminent danger, and ordered the snipers to fire. If these accusations are accurate, the Navy needed Obama’s order to act only because he had first ordered them not to act. Had he stayed out of the situation completely the snipers could have taken out the pirates days earlier.

36. US Navy increasing patrols off Somali coast

Good; also a “gimme.”

37. Attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles

The federal government has no business encouraging or discouraging purchases by citizens. Automobile purchase decisions should be made by the individual, not the federal government. If a company wants to build a hybrid automobile it should be free to do so. Consumers should be free to buy or not buy those vehicles, as they see fit. Uncle Sam should not be choosing winners and losers in the marketplace.

38. Cash for clunkers program offers vouchers to trade in fuel inefficient, polluting old cars for new cars; stimulated auto sales

The government essentially gave “coupons to buy stuff at a discount” to some Americans, at the expense of other Americans. That is not an accomplishment; it is a forced transfer of wealth. Obama could also give $20 rebates for new underwear and stimulate Fruit of the Loom sales. So what?

The “cash for clunkers” program, originally planned to last until the end of October, exhausted the $1 billion allocated for subsidizing Americans with as much as $4,500 to purchase new cars. Giving people $4,500 in “free money” at the expense of the taxpayers (or additional deficit spending that leads to inflation) not surprisingly leads to their spending it. The “clunkers” program (designed in part by the leftist Apollo Alliance) required that the vehicle turned in to the dealer be destroyed—it cannot be resold or even given away. It also requires that the vehicle turned in be drivable. The government program therefore requires destruction of wealth. Mostly middle-income Americans are taking advantage of the program, while low-income Americans are essentially being told, “Well, we know you could use these cars but instead we’re going to crush them and dump them in a junkyard because the global warming alarmists don’t want you getting only 18 miles per gallon. You’ll have to continue to walk to work.” (There is little salvage value to the cars because the program requires that the engines be destroyed. That is accomplished by pouring a sodium silicate solution into the crankcase and starting the engine—which promptly seizes as the solution hardens.)

Thousands of perfectly good vehicles were therefore intentionally destroyed by the “clunkers” program; they could have been donated to charities or given to poor people. The increased auto sales, and generally came from people who were planning on buying new cars anyway. The benefits of the program ended as son as the money ran out. Worse, the billions spent on the program was borrowed money, because the government is running a deficit. American taxpayers will therefore be paying interest on that debt for decades, in order to subsidize new car purchases by people who would have bought them anyway.

39. Announced plans to purchase fuel efficient American-made fleet for the federal government

Most federal vehicles are relatively new and do not need to be replaced. The taxpayers would be better off if the government kept its vehicles longer. The savings in slightly reduced gasoline consumption is outweighed by the cost of the new vehicles. Buying new vehicles that are not yet needed is not an accomplishment; it is a waste of tax dollars—dollars that the government had to borrow because it is running a massive deficit.

40. Expanded the SCHIP program to cover health care for 4 million more children

The program was unnecessarily expanded to cover families that are not poor. Obama signed into law changes to the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which gave an additional $32.8 billion to states to fund medical care for about 11 million uninsured and allegedly poor children. (Former President Bush had vetoed the bill because the tax-funded health care would be going to children of “poor” families making as much as $125,000 per year!) The bill included a $0.62 raise in the federal cigarette tax (from $0.39 to $1.01 per pack), and allows illegal immigrants to immediately enroll their children in the SCHIP program. Republicans had argued for a provision to prohibit coverage for illegals unless they had lived in the United States for at least five years, but Obama’s Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel threatened key Democrat Senators that the bill would not be signed by Obama unless immediate benefits for illegal immigrant women and children were included. (The bill that had previously been agreed to by Democrats and Republicans was shelved by Obama, and replaced by the more liberal and expensive Democrat version that preceded the bi-partisan compromise.)

41. Signed national service legislation; expanded national youth service program

These programs have no justification in the U.S. Constitution, are generally wasteful of tax dollars when compared with the work of charitable organizations, and are used to indoctrinate volunteers into leftist ideology.

42. Instituted a new policy on Cuba, allowing Cuban families to return home to visit loved ones

A Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act was re-introduced in Congress. Allowing Americans to travel to Cuba will give the poverty-stricken nation tourist dollars to help the communist Castro regime stay in power. Arguably, the bill would mean the abuse or elimination of refugee status by Cuban exiles, because it would be difficult for someone to claim he is a persecuted political refugee if he is able to travel freely between the United States and Cuba.

The stimulus bill also allowed Cuba to buy agricultural and food items on credit. The United States has always demanded upfront payment from Cuba for those purchases because its government is notorious for late payments. Obama and the Democrats are willing to let the U.S. taxpayers foot the bill to prop up Castro’s government while he takes his time paying for American products and food. In opposition to the changes in U.S. relations with Cuba, Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) said, “The last thing we need in this economic time is for us to be providing credit to a country that is un-creditworthy.”

43. Ended the previous policy of not regulating and labeling carbon dioxide emissions

This is not an accomplishment, it is an absurdity. Nothing good will come from the EPA regulating CO2 emissions. It will lead to higher prices on almost all products, massive bureaucracies, higher taxes, and the loss of thousands of American jobs.

44. Expanding vaccination programs

…after frightening Americans into thinking they would all die from the swine flu. (Follow the money. People with connections to the government made millions off the H1N1 scare.)

45. Immediate and efficient response to the floods in North Dakota and other natural disasters

…as should be expected. (Of course, many might argue that people stupid enough to live in flood plains should not be bailed out with tax dollars, just as it is ridiculous to live in the low-lying areas of New Orleans.)

46. Closed offshore tax safe havens

This is an exaggeration. Only limited changes were made, and many such tax breaks still exist. (The Kennedy family, for example, has sheltered its wealth in Fiji for decades.)

47. Negotiated deal with Swiss banks to permit US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals

Robert Wolf, CEO of the American branch of the Swiss banking giant UBS, collected more than $370,000 in campaign contributions for Obama. UBS lied to the government and conceals the identities of over 19,000 clients in order to help them avoid paying U.S. income taxes.

Geithner, Paulson, and Bernanke managed to funnel $5 billion to UBS with some of the TARP money that went to Goldman Sachs. There was no justification for their arranging U.S. tax dollars to go to a Swiss bank; other foreign banks also received billions in TARP funds: $93 billion of the $173 billion given to AIG went not to AIG but to Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (which received $12.9 billion) and several European banks, including Germany’s Deutsche Bank ($11.8 billion), France’s Societe Generale ($11.9 billion), Great Britain’s Barclays ($8.5 billion), and Switzerland’s UBS bank ($5 billion). U.S. taxpayer money was thus used to bail out a company whose major investors are German, French, British, and Swiss. As U.S. Senator from Illinois, Obama voted for the TARP bailout. All Republican Congressmen properly voted against it.

Whatever money the IRS eventually collects from UBS customers will be a drop in the bucket compared to the amount wasted by TARP.

48. Ended the previous policy of offering tax benefits to corporations who [sic] outsource American jobs; the new policy is to promote in-sourcing to bring jobs back

Depending on the business situation, this can be good. But it can also cost American jobs if the rules are so strict that the business simply moves overseas entirely. A case can be made either way, depending on individual circumstances. A better policy would be to reduce the 35 percent U.S. corporate income tax rate, the second-highest in the world. Businesses flee the United States because the tax environment is threatening. The burdensome 35 percent rate forces businesses to lobby for exceptions for themselves; if the rate were lowered for all corporations, the lobbying would not be necessary and all businesses could be treated equally.

49. Ended the previous practice of protecting credit card companies; in place of it are new consumer protections from credit card industry’s predatory practices

Any American can use any bank he chooses. If he doesn’t like the credit card terms at Bank A, he can go to Bank B or Bank C. Obama’s changes will cause banks to lose more money on irresponsible customers; that will result in those higher costs being passed on to responsible customers. Obama’s “consumer protections” protect irresponsible borrowers from the consequences of their actions; the responsible bank customers will have to pick up the tab.

50. Energy producing plants must begin preparing to produce 15% of their energy from renewable sources

This is absurd, and will result in higher prices for all energy customers. A company that produces electricity from natural gas, for example, will be forced to engage in activities where it has no experience or expertise. Those added costs will be passed on to customers. Must a coal company switch to windmill technology?  Why not also force accountants to stop using calculators for 15 percent of their work in order to reduce reliance on electricity and batteries? Why not force carpenters to use hand saws for 15 percent of their work in order to save electricity? And why 15 percent? Why not 100 percent, if it is so important to use renewable sources? Imposing such an artificial and arbitrary requirement on energy businesses will do nothing but increase costs. Consumers care more about the price of their energy than how “green” it may be. (And most “green” products and services are phony. The Toyota Prius, for example, is all marketing and barely “green.”)

51. Lower drug costs for seniors

The federal government cannot lower the cost of anything. All it can do is use regulations and tax laws to shift the cost of a product or service from one person to another.

52. Ended the previous practice of forbidding Medicare from negotiating with drug manufacturers for cheaper drugs; the federal government is now realizing hundreds of millions in savings

Good, but the savings are not in the hundreds of millions..

53. Increasing pay and benefits for military personnel

Good, but using borrowed money. Obama should have coupled military pay and benefit increases with offsetting savings in other areas, to keep the deficit from growing more. (For example, the Department of Education and the Department of Energy could be totally eliminated. It would the government billions per year, and few would notice their loss.)

54. Improved housing for military personnel

Good… but using borrowed money.

55. Initiating a new policy to promote federal hiring of military spouses

Why should certain individuals get a special preference? That is discriminatory. An individual should be hired on the basis of his or her qualifications and experience.

56. Improved conditions at Walter Reed Military Hospital and other military hospitals

Overdue.

57. Increasing student loans

This should be a totally private sector activity. There is no justification for demanding that the taxpayers subsidize education loans for students. Go to a bank for loan. If you can’t borrow enough money, go to a less expensive school. Federal involvement in school loans causes people with no children to pay for the costs of raising other people’s children. It also raises the cost of education, because colleges and universities boost their tuition knowing that students can obtain funds not from the free market, but from the taxpayer. (As an example, if the government were to give all college students annual $1,000 school grants, the first thing the universities would do is raise their tuition by $1,000.)

58. Increasing opportunities in AmeriCorps program

This program, and similar programs, should be eliminated. If Americans want to serve their communities, they can do so through existing charitable organizations—not with tax dollars. At best, it is nothing more than a feel-good exercise; at worst, it indoctrinates program participants into leftist ideology.

59. Sent envoys to Middle East and other parts of the world that had been neglected for years; reengaging in multilateral and bilateral talks and diplomacy

This is an absurd claim. The United States government has had embassies and envoys throughout the world for decades. The parts of the world that have been “neglected” have been states that sponsor terrorism, like Syria. Bush administration actions and the Lebanese people combined to expel Syrian troops from Lebanon. After Syria assassinated Lebanon’s Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri, in 2005, Bush cut diplomatic ties and pressured other nations to do the same. Obama has chosen to reestablish ties with terrorist-sponsoring Syria. Although Syrian troops have not returned to Lebanon, the terrorist group Hizbullah has taken their place and extended Syria’s power into Lebanon. Hizbullah now uses its threats of violence to control Prime Minister Saad Hariri—Rafik Hariri’s son. Obama’s engagement with Syria has seriously discouraged the Lebanese people, who before January 20, 2009 thought they had the United States on their side. Writes Tobin, “…those who thought they had the West’s backing for resisting the thugs of Damascus have been forced to swallow their pride and swear loyalty to Assad in order to save their lives. All of which means that we can chalk up another defeat for the United States that can be put at the feet of Barack Obama’s fetish for diplomacy for its own sake. Like the opposition in Iran, the pro-independence Lebanese have been left in the lurch while Washington fecklessly pursues deals with dictators who have no intention of playing ball.” Given the choice of siding with the people of Lebanon or the dictator of Syria, Obama chose the latter.

60. Established a new cyber security office

Many observers believe that Obama will use the position to censor the Internet and reduce the influence of conservative blogs. Obama has ulterior motives.

Further, attempts to regulate internet security with federal standards will make it easier for cyber-criminals, because they will only have to “crack” the standard defined by the government after all alternatives are outlawed.

61. Beginning the process of reforming and restructuring the military 20 years after the Cold War to a more modern fighting force; this includes new procurement policies, increasing size of military, new technology and cyber units and operations, etc.

This remains to be seen. If he follows the practices of Carter and Clinton, Obama will weaken the U.S. military. To date, he has canceled the F-22 and the U.S. missile defense system planned for Poland, and reduced the size of the defense system in Alaska. On the surface, those look to be unsound decisions. Obama has also canceled the Airborne Laser (ABL) Missile Defense program (which destroys enemy ballistic missiles in their vulnerable boost phase).

62. Ended previous policy of awarding no-bid defense contracts

Likely a good thing, but sometimes they cannot be avoided. (If there is only one company that produces what the military requires, the government has fewer options. Halliburton, for example, received no-bid contracts because there were no other companies capable of or willing to do specific dangerous work in Iraq.)

63. Ordered a review of hurricane and natural disaster preparedness

Good… unless it is being used to promote unwarranted fears of man-caused global warming. And, so far, the U.S. government’s Haitian earthquake relief performance has been less than spectacular.

64. Established a National Performance Officer charged with saving the federal government money and making federal operations more efficient

It is far too early to label this an “accomplishment.”

65. Students struggling to make college loan payments can have their loans refinanced

At whose expense? At taxpayer expense, do doubt. The federal government should sell its outstanding student loan portfolio to private banks and get out of the business of lending. The Department of Education should then be eliminated completely, saving the taxpayers billions each year..

66. Improving benefits for veterans

Details? Cost? All paid for with borrowed money, until the budget is balance.

67. Many more press conferences and town halls and much more media access than previous administration

Obama has held fewer press conferences than most of his predecessors. He has held only five formal press conferences; four were in prime time. Obama’s most recent press conference was on July 22. (It was at that July 22 press conference that Obama said a white Cambridge police officer acted “stupidly’ for arresting a black man who appeared to be breaking into a house and who was combative.) Obama relies on press secretary Robert Gibbs—perhaps one of the worst in history—to meet with the media. Obama’s “media access” has consisted of a multitude of one-on-one interviews (over 150) with a sycophantic press that lobs softball questions and rarely follows up on weak or non-responsive answers. Interviews are safer than press conferences because the White House decides who will be granted interviews. Obama knows who will ask tough questions and who will not. Obama has no doubt appeared on television virtually non-stop—to the point of revulsion for many—but it has not been for many insightful questions.

Obama attended 28 political fundraisers in 2009, which raised more than $27 million. Bush attended 6 during his first year in office. He has also played golf 29 times.

68. Instituted a new focus on mortgage fraud

If it prevents people who are too poor to buy homes from buying homes, good.

69. The FDA is now regulating tobacco

What is the point? If you’re stupid enough to smoke, that’s your problem. Who in the United States does not know that smoking is dangerous?

70. Ended previous policy of cutting the FDA and circumventing FDA rules

Details, please…

71. Ended previous practice of having White House aides rewrite scientific and environmental rules, regulations, and reports

…and now has leftists at the Center for American Progress writing rules, regulations, and legislation.

72. Authorized discussions with North Korea and private mission by Pres. Bill Clinton to secure the release of two Americans held in prisons

A dog-and-pony show. What did the United States give in exchange?

73. Authorized discussions with Myanmar and mission by Sen. Jim Web to secure the release of an American held captive

What did the United States give in exchange?

74. Making more loans available to small businesses

Obama’s assistance to small businesses has been inconsequential—to the point of being laughable. The stimulus bill, for example, provided $41 million in tax cuts for small businesses. The United States has approximately 23 million small businesses, each of which would therefore benefit by an average of $1.78 if their tax cuts total $41 million. (How many stimulus jobs can a business create with $1.78?)

75. Established independent commission to make recommendations on slowing the costs of Medicare

Let’s hold off on judgment until we see the results… but in Washington, D.C., an “independent commission” means a lack of courage to take action on your own.

76. Appointment of first Latina to the Supreme Court

This statement is racist; the race or ancestry of a Supreme Court nominee is irrelevant. (For the record, Sotomayor is a racist.)

77. Authorized construction/opening of additional health centers to care for veterans

Good, but with borrowed money.

78. Limited salaries of senior White House aides; cut to $100,000

How about Obama, a millionaire, donating his salary to charity? How about donating his $1.4 million Nobel Peace Prize to Haiti earthquake relief? (Obama gave a measly $15,000.) How about giving some cash to his destitute half-brother George in Kenya? Or his aunt and uncle living in slums in the United States?

79. Renewed loan guarantees for Israel

This is not an accomplishment. In fact, Obama drastically reduced aid and loan guarantees to Israel. He wanted to eliminate them completely, but even House and Senate Democrats would not go along with that. The Obama administration is the most anti-Israel administration in history.

80. Changed the failing/status quo military command in Afghanistan

Let’s wait until the results are in… so far the situation in Afghanistan seems worse, not better.

81. Deployed additional troops to Afghanistan

…but nowhere near as many as General Stanley McChrystal requested—and it took him months to make up his mind.

82. New Afghan War policy that limits aerial bombing and prioritizes aid, development of infrastructure, diplomacy, and good government practices by Afghans

Nonsense. Drone attacks have been up considerably over the previous year. Further, there is no “good government” in Afghanistan, and it is unlikely that any U.S. president could do much about it.

83. Announced the long-term development of a national energy grid with renewable sources and cleaner, efficient energy production

A pipe dream, feel-good campaign promise. So far it has all been talk. Nothing of significance has been done in this regard. And there isn’t enough money to build it even if there were final plans.

84. Returned money authorized for refurbishment of White House offices and private living quarters

…meaning only that he and his wife spent less than was set aside by the taxpayers for redecorating? That’s better than gong over budget, of course, but he also insulted the British by returning the bust of Winston Churchill. (Why must the White house be redecorated for each new president anyway? If you don’t like the colonial style, don’t run for the office.)

85. Paid for redecoration of White House living quarters out of his own pocket

Thank goodness… the paintings he chose are atrocious.

86. Held first Seder in White House

Aides bragged that it was likely the first president-hosted Seder at the White House. DebbieSchlussel.com called it a “stunt and a Jewish minstrel show”—as well as hypocritical because the food served was not Kosher but simply Jewish ethnic food. Schlussel labeled the event “lipstick on an unkosher pig.” No rabbi or religious scholar joined Obama for the meal, but political advisor David Axelrod (who is Jewish) attended. Big deal.

87. Attempting to reform the nation's healthcare system which is the most expensive in the world yet leaves almost 50 million without health insurance and millions more under insured

There are nowhere near 50 million uninsured in the United States. No one is left to die in the street. In an emergency, those without insurance receive quality care.

Health care in the United States is the best in the world. The high cost is due to government interference in the free market, because the tax code promotes employer-paid insurance which, in turn, disconnects the patient from the cost of the care. As a result, most patients want the best treatment and don’t care what it costs because they are not paying the premiums. State laws further increase costs by forcing insurance companies to cover treatment many people would never buy on their own. (If your state requires acupuncture coverage, you are paying for it in your premiums whether you want to or not.)

The simple solution is to allow consumers to buy health insurance from any company, regardless of the state in which it is located. That will prompt people to shop around for the best coverage. In turn, that will prompt insurers to find ways to reduce costs to retain customers fleeing to companies in other states. Lastly, it will encourage state legislatures to reduce the burdensome regulations that keep premium costs artificially high. Allow competition and stop forcing companies to cover things like acupuncture, and premium costs will drop substantially.

88. Has put the ball in play for comprehensive immigration reform

…which means, amnesty for illegal immigrants… and new Democrats-for-life citizens. There is no need for “immigration reform.” All that is necessary is to enforce existing laws, and add more border patrol officers. The government should also reduce the number of visas allowed to Muslims—because protecting U.S. citizens is the primary function of the government.