ubtalking: The REAL State of the Union

Monday, January 24, 2011

The REAL State of the Union

It has been two years since Barack Obama has taken the Presidential reigns from George W. Bush. Lets take a quick look back to see where we were on January 2009 to where we are today on January 2011.

Take a look and YOU decide are things getting better, worse or the same? Are we on the right path, or headed for derailment AGAIN. Now with a split House, it will be even tougher to get anything done. Should have Obama gotten MORE done when the Democrats controlled both houses? Did his party LET HIM DOWN? I think they did!

FACTS:
Gas Prices on January 2009 $1.68 NOW January 2011 $3.11 and NO signs of stopping.

The U.S. jobless rate was 7.8% in January 2009 NOW 9.4 January 2011. A VERY slight drop from the high of 9.8% but NO real improvement in sight.

Oil prices per barrel on January 23,2009 $46.47, NOW on January 24,2011 $87.61

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)
BUT already In 2011 I've seen a RISE of 15% in Employers/Employees rates and the BULK of the reform hasn't even gone into effect.
Now individuals will be FORCED to get health care or pay a fine, makes NO sense.
Candate Obama was offended by the idea that every American should be forced to buy a government-approved health policy or face a fine. Candadate Obama DID campaign for a Public Option "establish a new public insurance program available to Americans who neither qualify for Medicaid or SCHIP nor have access to insurance through their employers."(but we got NO PUBLIC OPTION)

Origional est.cost, $500 billion to $650 billion. Now est.cost is $940 billion
The republicans in the house have already voted to repeal, senate will take it up next. I say, Don't repeal, but make it better. There are good and bad in this bill. Work together, PLEASE, and make it better. Stop the rise in premiums NOW. #SOTU PRESIDENT AGREES WITH ME" So instead of re-fighting the battles of the last two years, let's fix what needs fixing and move forward."

Stock Market January 20, 2009: 7,920.66 Close. Stock Market January 24, 2011 11,980.52. The greed has come back to wall street on the backs of every American.

National Debt Total: January 2009 - $10,699,804,864,612
National Debt Total: January 2011 - $14,003,420,744,930

US Troops in Iraq on January 2009 -140,000
US Troops in Iraq on January 2011 - 50,000

US troops in Afghanistan January 2009 - 34,000
US troops in Afghanistan January 2011 - 100,000*
*The Obama administration's plan to begin withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan in July and NATO's agreement for Afghan forces to assume the security lead in 2014 provide transition to full Afghan lead beginning this year and concluding in 2014."

Banks have NOT started lending again, as the interest rates for savings consumers fall to all time lows. Rate is STILL at Dec 16, 2008 levels: 0.0–0.25%

List of OBAMA'S LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS & APPROVAL RATINGS

2009	2010
January 29: Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act	January 27: Emergency Aid to American Survivors of Haiti Earthquake Act
February 4: Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act	March 4: Travel Promotion Act
February 17: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act	March 18: Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (HIRE Act)
March 30: Omnibus Public Lands Management Act	March 23: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
April 21: Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act	March 30: Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act
May 20: Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act	May 5: Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act
May 20: Helping Families Save Their Homes Act	May 17: Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act
May 22: Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act	July 21: Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
May 22: Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act	July 22: Unemployment Compensation Extension Act
June 22: Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act	July 22: Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act
October 22: Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act	August 10: SPEECH Act
October 28: Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act	September 27: Small Business Jobs and Credit Act
October 30: Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act	December 17: Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act
November 6: Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act	December 13: Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act
	December 19: Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal Act
	December 21: Food Safety and Modernization Act
	December 22: James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act
	December 22: START Treaty Ratification