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Promises Obama kept (16), promises he broke (/failed 6 - mixed 3)
MSNBC ^ | 1/24/11 | Norah O'Donnell, Adam Verdugo, Ariel Edwards-Levy

Posted on 01/24/2011 9:06:03 AM PST by Libloather

Promises Obama kept, promises he broke
From NBC's Norah O'Donnell, Adam Verdugo, and Ariel Edwards-Levy

We decided to go back and check what President Obama has achieved since last year’s State of the Union address.

In that 2010 speech, Obama made a lot of promises, and he fulfilled many of them -- with high-profile, hard-fought successes like the passage of health-care reform, a jobs bill, the New START treaty with Russia, and the repeal of "Don’t Ask Don’t Tell." He also saw the last combat troops leave Iraq, cut out the middlemen from college loans, championed credit for small businesses, and established protections for consumers.

But he also had some failures, mostly due to bills stalling in the Senate. Those included bills to combat climate change, require more campaign-finance disclosure, and fine banks that were bailed out. And compromising with the GOP on the Bush tax cuts meant that while he kept his promise to extend middle-class tax cuts, he also extended cuts for those making over $250,0000.

The legislative branch wasn’t the only thing beyond his control -- the economy was, too. But given the sluggish economy, he didn’t fare too badly. The president promised last year to add 1.5 million jobs. But he fell a little short, with 1.1 million jobs created in 2010. And although it’s too soon to tell if he’ll meet his goal to double exports in five years, top trade officials said in July that things were looking promising.

Beyond policy, Obama also promised to change the tone in Washington, and to hold monthly meetings with both parties’ leadership, joking, “I know you can’t wait.” Turns out, they could wait -- the meetings were sporadic at best, and, of course, the rhetoric remained heated for most of the year.

(Excerpt) Read more at firstread.msnbc.msn.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: broke; kept; obama; promises
Now, it's the Tea Party's turn.
1 posted on 01/24/2011 9:06:07 AM PST by Libloather
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To: Libloather

These people really are delusional to the point of psychosis.


2 posted on 01/24/2011 9:24:05 AM PST by Hoodat (Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. - (Rom 8:37))
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To: Libloather
...we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on earth. This was the moment—this was the time—when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves and our highest ideals.

Okay, I know they are not promises but...

3 posted on 01/24/2011 9:30:43 AM PST by raybbr (Someone who invades another country is NOT an immigrant - illegal or otherwise.)
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To: Libloather
He wanted to spend more money and Congress let him (sometimes Congress made him).

Not surprising when a Democrat President has a Democrat Congress to work with.

But whether his legislative victories last year are going to bring about the results he promised is another story.

Basically, MSNBC is going to count even the slightest sign of assent from Congress as a victory for Obama, but who knows what the real effect of such legislation will be?

4 posted on 01/24/2011 9:43:11 AM PST by x
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To: Libloather
“Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase - not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes”
Sept 2008

"We are going to ban all earmarks”
Jan 2009

[I Won't Force Americans To Buy Insurance]
Jan 2008

"we’re going to do all the [healthcare bill] negotiations on C-SPAN, So the American people will be able to watch.”
Nov 2008

“When there’s a bill that ends up on my desk as President, you the public will have five days to look online, and find out what’s in it before I sign it.”

"Actually, I am cutting more than I’m spending. So it will be a net spending cut."
Oct 2008

"Guantánamo will be closed no later than one year from now"
Jan 2009

"No political appointees in an Obama-Biden administration will be permitted to work on regulations or contracts directly and substantially related to their prior employer for two years.
Campaign website

"Barack Obama will eliminate all income taxation of seniors making less than $50,000 per year. This will eliminate taxes for 7 million seniors -– saving them an average of $1,400 a year — and will also mean that 27 million seniors will not need to file an income tax return at all."
Campaign website

"eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses."

"Since so many Americans will be struggling to pay the bills over the next year, I propose that we allow every family to withdraw up to 15% from their IRA or 401(k) – up to a maximum of $10,000 – without any fine or penalty throughout 2009

5 posted on 01/24/2011 9:43:23 AM PST by Hoodat (Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. - (Rom 8:37))
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To: Libloather

Very limited. According to even Politifact, here are the 34 promises broken. Some of these he over-promised, as they weren’t his to deliver. Others were completely within his executive power, and he simply didn’t deliver. Admittedly, I’m glad on a few of these.

Increase the capital gains and dividends taxes for higher-income taxpayers

Expand the child and dependent care credit

End income tax for seniors making less than $50,000

End no-bid contracts above $25,000

Repeal the Bush tax cuts for higher incomes

Phase out exemptions and deductions for higher earners

Allow imported prescription drugs

Direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a comprehensive study of federal cancer initiatives

Create a National Commission on People with Disabilities, Employment, and Social Security

Change federal rules so small businesses owned by people with disabilities can get preferential treatment for federal contracts.

Form international group to help Iraq refugees

Reinstate special envoy for the Americas

Double the Peace Corps

Centralize ethics and lobbying information for voters

Allow five days of public comment before signing bills

Tougher rules against revolving door for lobbyists and former officials

Double funding for afterschool programs

Urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws

Allow bankruptcy judges to modify terms of a home mortgage

Re-establish the National Aeronautics and Space Council

Support human mission to moon by 2020

Pay for the national service plan without increasing the deficit

Limit term of director of national intelligence

Give annual “State of the World” address

Reduce earmarks to 1994 levels

Create cap and trade system with interim goals to reduce global warming

Require plug-in fleet at the White House

Provide an annual report on “state of our energy future”

Allow penalty-free hardship withdrawals from retirement accounts in 2008 and 2009

Recognize the Armenian genocide

No family making less than $250,000 will see “any form of tax increase.”

Negotiate health care reform in public sessions televised on C-SPAN

Create a public option health plan for a new National Health Insurance Exchange.

Introduce a comprehensive immigration bill in the first year


6 posted on 01/24/2011 9:43:47 AM PST by antiRepublicrat
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To: Libloather
The president promised last year to add 1.5 million jobs. But he fell a little short, with 1.1 million jobs created in 2010.

That is simply laughable. When you "add" to something, you increase the total; Even if you accept the 1.1 million jobs figure, it's obvious that net employment had declined.

This is blatant propaganda, nothing more.

7 posted on 01/24/2011 9:46:01 AM PST by TonyInOhio ( Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils.)
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To: TonyInOhio

He did. He created jobs in China, India, and Mexico.


8 posted on 01/24/2011 9:48:43 AM PST by sport
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To: Hoodat

Savage was right about liberalism being a mental disorder


9 posted on 01/24/2011 11:02:32 AM PST by jesseam (Been there, done that)
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