President Obama signing the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act
An article from the New York Times offers an interesting analysis of the Obama administration's progressive achievements and their effect on the upcoming elections. It provides information on what Obama and the Congress have accomplished for the average American family and the reason why the midterm elections are important for determining whether these progressive changes will continue and expand.
The first year and a half of the Obama administration brought a fast paced change to policies which promote growth while reducing income inequality which had been growing for the last 35 years. Obama's outstanding accomplishments include a stimulus bill that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said created up to 2.1 million jobs and boosted the economy by up to 3.5 percent; an expansion of health care for Veterans and services to prevent Veterans from becoming homeless; a health care bill which makes sure people don't lose their health care when they change jobs and insures 32 million people currently without insurance; and the removal of subsidies to banks making student loans and using the money for financial aid instead.
The most recent of these accomplishments is a the Wall Street Reform Bill which created a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency, established oversight of the vast derivatives market, and gave the government authority to wind down large banks that threaten the financial system. The bill also give a council of regulators authority to monitor risks to the financial system and impose new restrictions on credit rating agencies. The article has ample ideas for inspiring you to write a letter to the editor. Get out your pen:
