One Year Later - How Sweet It Is!

January 20th marks one full year since Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States.  While a candidate, President Obama asked us to believe.  We did and as a result we have the chance to transform America.  So - what exactly has been accomplished in the past year.  Here are 100 acts that have occurred since Barack Obama was sworn in as President.  Take a look ---

• Banned Torture
• Exposed torture memos of Bush administration
• Continued sanctions against Iran
• Began restoration of America’s image in the world
• Set a date for withdrawal of troops from Iraq
• Increased resources for Afghanistan
• Met with various world leaders
• Entered into bilateral agreement with Mexico to strengthen clean energy and climate control
• Established Merida Initiative which strengthens security cooperation between US and Mexico and Central America to deal with drugs and arms trafficking
• Imposed sanctions on three Mexican drug cartels
• Authorized military action to save a merchant sea captain
• Agreed to travel to China
• Attended G-20 Summit
• Eliminated gag rule on family planning clinics
• Removed barriers to stem cell research
• Passed American Recovery & Reinvestment Act saving or creating 3.5 million jobs
• Passed tax cut for 95% of Americans
• Delivered $250 payment for every recipient of Social Security
• Expanded Earned Income Credit for low income Americans
• Expanded tax credits for college tuition
• Made sales tax on new car purchases tax deductible
• Protected middle income Americans from Alternative Minimum Tax
• Extended health care to four million uninsured children
• Passed foreclosure prevention allowing modification of loans
• Mortgage refinancing applications up 88%
• New purchase mortgages up 19%
• Expanded funding for quality affordable housing
• Provided increased guaranteed  mortgage loans for rural America
• $8000 tax credit for new home buyers
• Provided aid to states to prevent cuts in Medicaid and children’s health care
• Provided aid to states to prevent cuts in education
• Additional aid to states and local communities for law enforcement
• Additional funding for children with special needs
• Additional funding for dropout prevention
• Additional funding for Head Start
• Additional funding for Early Head Start
• Increased the maximum limits for Pell Grants
• Simplified student aid applications
• Increased funding for teacher performance pay
• Created White House Council on Women and Girls
• Signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
• Signed expansion of Serve America Act
• Extended Federal Aid for Gulf Coast Recovery
• Established White House Office of Urban Affairs
• Established Economic Recovery Board
• Expanded citizen access to Cuba
• Deferred deportation of Liberians
• Require labor agreements on all large government projects
• Established government policy to save jobs of old employees by requiring contractors to retain employees when starting new contract
• Requires agencies to favor disclosure of requests made under Freedom of Information Act
• Reformed use of signing statements, used by Bush to avoid laws enacted
• Restored consultation requirements of Endangered Species Act reversing Bush administration pending further review of new regulations
• Opened government contracts to competitive bidding
• Imposed pay freeze on senior White House employees
• Established strict ethics code for executive employees prohibiting lobbyist gifts and restricting lobbying activities upon leaving White House
• Modified the restrictions on disclosure of presidential records imposed by Bush administration
• Directed every agency to maintain scientific integrity and to establish scientific requirements for research and policy
• Created White House Office for Health Care Reform
• Passed renewable energy tax credits
• Doubled support for renewable energy industry
• Passed 11 billion investment in electrical grid
• Increased funding for research in alternative energy
• Increased funding for development of electric vehicles
• Funding for weatherization of homes
• Call for increase in US high speed rail lines, trains
• Established RE-ENERGYSE - education campaign to address energy policy
• Funding for educational opportunities and careers in clean energy
• Partnership with colleges to establish curriculum in clean energy
• Creation of fellowships in energy research
• Creation of federal grants to establish Energy Frontier Research Centers
• Funding of federal grants to develop alternative energy
• Tripled National Science Foundation fellowships
• Increased research in health information technology
• Increased funding in broadband networks, basic scientific research
• Made research tax credits permanent
• Formed Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology
• Launched Advisory Research Projects Agency
• Established Race to the Top Fund which supports improving the quality and supply of science and math teachers
• Expanded funding of college scholarships in science and math
• Established Financial Stability Plan to buy securities backed by Small Business Administration increasing lending to small businesses
• Created Auto Industry Task Force to revitalize auto industry
• Purchased 17,600 new vehicles for government fleet from US automakers
• Restrictions imposed on executive pay for corporations taking bail out funds
• Expanded funding for rural health clinics
• Expanded funding for vaccines and immunizations
• Created Joint Virtual Lifeline Electronic Records for health records of veterans
• Increased funding for community health clinics
• Increased funding for child care
• Launched partnership with Microfinance Growth Fund for Western Hemisphere
• Appointed Special Inspector for Troubled Asset Relief Program
• Called on credit card company executives to change unconscionable practices
• Required government departments to eliminate wasteful programs seeking ten percent cuts in all agencies
• Issued executive order requiring all government agencies to be transparent to citizens
• Opened up White House Easter Egg Hunt to GLBT families
• Number of Texas jobs created - 268,000
• Number of Texans receiving tax credit - 8,034,000
• Number of additional children in Texas covered by health insurance - 490,000
• Number of additional students in Texas receiving financial aid - 316,000
• Got a dog

AND HE HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN