I am writing this in hopes of persuading some of my fellow lefties that President Obama has done numerous, progressive things which are improving human's lives. To illustrate my contention, I am going to share observations from my life that takes events from the abstract to the concrete. Some details could help. I am a traveling mental health counselor in a red-neck state, Idaho, in private business that is dependent on Medicaid funds. I have seven male clients dealing with the challenge of schizophrenia. I have two boys ages, twenty and twenty-two. Three of my clients are Native Americans, two from the Nez Perce tribe and one from the Coeur d'Alene tribe. Two of them use wheelchairs to get around. Let's start there.
One of my favorite guys is named Rick. He broke his neck while wrestling with his son one night and became a quadriplegic. We visit each other three times a week. President Obama in March of 2009 signed the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, the first piece of comprehensive legislation aimed at improving the lives of Americans living with paralysis.
"SHORT HILLS, N.J. –MARCH 30, 2009 – The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, the national, non-profit organization dedicated to finding cures and treatments for spinal cord injuries and improving the lives of people living with paralysis, applauds President Obama for signing the Omnibus Public Lands Bill. Passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on March 25 and the U.S. Senate on January 15, Title XIV of the Bill contains the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act. The Act was named for the late Christopher Reeve and his wife Dana, whose courage and grace in the face of adversity, coupled with their extraordinary activism, were an inspiration to millions around the world.
The landmark legislation, which enjoyed bi-partisan support, will promote collaborative research, rehabilitation and quality of life initiatives for millions of Americans living with paralysis and spinal cord injuries. It was introduced in the Senate by Tom Harkin (D-IA), who worked closely together with Christopher and Dana Reeve to promote expanded research and quality of life for people living with paralysis, particularly spinal cord injuries.
Peter T. Wilderotter, president and CEO of the Reeve Foundation, remarked, "In less than one month, with swift action, President Obama has twice expedited the promise of hope of medical research for so many. We commend his continuing commitment to improving the lives of millions living with paralysis." For more information click on link below.
http://www.christopherreeve.org/...
He also provided $12.2 Billion in new funding for Individuals With Disabilities Education Act
http://www2.ed.gov/...
At the bottom of the totem pole of struggling minorities sits the Native Americans. They are the poorest of the poor and are easy to ignore but President Obama has not done so. He has done more for this group that make up a grand part of the American culture than any president in history.
"Indian Country has a long way to go in terms of reviving tribal economies. According to the National Congress of American Indians, real per-capita income of Indians living on reservations is still less than half the national average, unemployment is twice that of the rest of the country, and eight of the 10 poorest counties in the United States are on reservations."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/...
The United States Senate has formally approved legislation enabling the funding of the $3.4 Billion settlement in the Cobell trust litigation, an action that has been on hold for many months as Congress wrestled with health care reform and other issues. For payments to finally begin flowing to the Native American plaintiffs in the Cobell lawsuit, the House of Representatives must also give a corresponding approval and President Obama must sign the final bill.
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar praised the Senate’s action:
"With the Senate’s approval of the Cobell settlement and the four Indian water rights settlements, this is a day that will be etched in our memories and our history books. The Cobell settlement honorably and responsibly addresses long-standing injustices and is a major step forward in President Obama’s agenda of reconciliation and empowerment for Indian nations. I am also deeply proud of the passage of the four water rights settlements that will deliver clean drinking water to Indian communities, end decades of controversy and contention among neighboring communities, and provide certainty to water users across the West. The progress we have made over the last two years in reaching critical Indian country settlements is unprecedented and I am hopeful that the House will soon act to pass these settlements as well."
In short, President Obama's efforts have helped Tribes across the country including those that I live close to here in the Northwest. Stimulus funds have allowed for hospitals to be expanded, classrooms have been added, and Native business interests boosted.
I fought for years and years against the Republicans who were opposed to granting mental health parity in our health care system to those with mental issues. The most notable of these anti-mental health voices was none other than one John McCain. McCain was one of the biggest advocates for the insurance companies efforts to fight against mental health care parity starting in with his 1996 vote against the first bill on this issue that passed Congress. Even Bush actually ended up supporting mental health parity and set up a commission to take on the issue in 2002 while McCain kept up his fight to defeat all efforts at changing this discriminatory practice and carried the water for the insurance companies. I heard these type of things:
"Seems like everyone is bi-polar, depressed or schizophrenic nowadays."
"How can a supposed mental illness be on par with a broken leg?"
"It is mostly a matter of personal discipline or a lack of discipline."
When the health care bill passed mental health parity finally became a reality after years of struggle. This was a great victory few discuss or recognize fully.
President Obama also added 4.6 billion USD to the Veterans Administration budget to recruit and retain more mental health professionals
What President Obama has done that has helped my two sons.
Significantly expanded Pell grants, which help low-income students pay for college.
Eliminated subsidies to private lender middlemen of student loans and protect student borrowers
Made both of the boys eligible for inclusion on their mother's new health care benefits until they become age 26 which will save me personally over $12,000.
He saved my business from bankruptcy by putting in Medicaid funds into the stimulus bill which has allowed me to keep seeing clients even after Idaho slashed the funds allowed for mental health services in my area by half. In my case, a half a loaf was much, much better than none. It made me part of the working poor but at least I am working.
Other moves that President Obama has made that I cheer.
Increased funding for national parks and forests by 10%
http://www.npca.org/...
Significantly increased funding for the Violence Against Women Act
Established Credit Card Bill of Rights, preventing credit card companies from imposing arbitrary rate increases on customers
Expansion of Medicaid to all individuals under age 65 with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level
Signed financial reform law establishing a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to look out for the interests of everyday Americans
Cut prescription drug cost for medicare recipients by 50%
Appointed more openly gay officials than any other president in US history
Signed New START Treaty - nuclear arms reduction pact with Russia
Signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, restoring basic protections against pay discrimination for women and other workers
Provided travel expenses to families of fallen soldiers to be on hand when the body arrives at Dover AFB
Put a 100 billion into Education in the stimulus bill.
Signed the Children's Health Insurance Reauthorization Act, which provides health care to 11 million kids -- 4 million of whom were previously uninsured
http://themiddleclass.org/...
Issued executive order to repeal Bush era restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.
I could go on with many other examples but I will stop. I think President Obama's biggest mistake is that he hasn't bragged enough about his accomplishments. He has allowed the perception to linger that he has been ineffective and too much of a compromiser.
Look, I too wish that Dick Cheney was in jail for his crimes. I wish Bush officials were being punished especially for their involvement in torture. I wish he had taken on the corporations and banks with a more stern hand and punished them. I wish he would get all our troops home. I cringed when he extended the Bush tax give away to the rich dicks. But those wishes cannot and should not distract from the many positive things he has been able to accomplish in this toxic political climate. I do not understand nor will I accept it when some of my fellow lefties become nearly irrational about their criticism when he has done more for progressive causes than any president since LBJ. Demand more change, work on causes that are important to you but it is improper, unfair and misguided to say things like : "He needs to grow a spine. Or I am so disappointed in him." Some are so convinced that they are right in their perception of our great president that they will not budge and will shrug off the accomplishments I listed here.
He is my president and I am glad of it. Of course, I am prejudiced. He saved my business, provided for my clients, made mental health issues important, allowed my boys to attend college and get health insurance coverage. I voted for him because I thought he was an incredibly smart man. I still feel that way. I caution and implore you to take some time in wondering where your received your negative feelings toward the man. Did it come from the Huffington Post or from loud voices here or from impatience voiced from our friends like Maddow, Keith and Ed Schultz as things were debated in the heat of the many battles? Take DADT for an example.
President Obama was consistently criticized for dragging his feet on the issue, yet what was the final result? The discrimination is over. I remember people yelling that he should sign an Executive Order which would have been an error as it could have overturned. He waited until the military came in with their report and then acted at the right time and won. In short, give the man a break. Is Arianna Huffington's opinions or intellectual fire power equal to President Barack Obama? Amazing how many on the Left are so free on what they think needs to be done and how it should be done.
His spine is strong enough for this long-time liberal.
For those who like to criticize allow me to help before I publish. I will stipulate that I am an ignorant asshole, hell just ask around, so you can take a break on pointing that out in comments. Give me a break. I live in a flipping state where the only thing they can think to put on the license plates is : Famous Potatoes.
References-
http://www.nativelegalupdate.com/...
http://whatthefuckhasobamadonesofar.com/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...