Glenda Overstreet: Making the transition [Topeka Capital Journal (KS)]

As we transition from one year to another, it is important to understand the accomplishments that have been made in order to understand the road we need to travel as we move forward.

The end of 2011, is a good time to reflect on some of the accomplishments President Barack Obama and his staff have made throughout the term of his administration thus far. Here are 38, from a list of 90, as taken from 3chicpolitico.com.

- Ordered all federal agencies to undertake a study and make recommendations for ways to cut spending.

- Instituted enforcement of equal pay for women.

- Ordered the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

- Families of fallen soldiers have their expenses covered so they can be on hand when a body arrives at Dover AFB.

- Instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible.

- Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants) after years of neglect.

- Funds made available for high-speed, broadband Internet access by K-12 schools.

- New funding for school construction.

- The auto industry rescue and plans for rescuing the housing and financial and banking systems.

- The $789 billion economic stimulus plan.

- Allowed borrowers and federal housing insurers to negotiate on refinancing troubled mortgages.

- Established a no torture policy and brought the U.S. into compliance with Geneva Convention standards.

- Better body armor is now being provided to our troops.

- Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any president in his first six months in office.

- Cash for clunkers program offered vouchers for trading old, fuel-inefficient vehicles for new ones, stimulating auto sales.

- Expanded the SCHIP program to cover health care for 4 million more children.

- Signed national service legislation and expanded the national youth service program.

- Instituted a new policy on Cuba, allowing Cuban families to return home to visit loved ones.

- Expanded vaccination programs.

- Closed offshore tax havens.

- Negotiated a deal with Swiss banks to permit the U.S. government to gain access to records of tax evaders.

- Ended the previous policy of offering tax benefits to corporations that outsource American jobs.

- Put in place new consumer protection measures against the credit card industry's predatory practices.

- Lowered drug costs for seniors.

- Increased pay, benefits and improved housing for military personnel and veterans.

- Initiated a new policy to promote federal hiring of military spouses.

- Increased student loans.

- Established a National Performance Officer charged with saving the federal government money and making federal operations more efficient.

- Allows students struggling to make college loan payments to refinance the loans.

- Conducted more news conferences and town hall meetings and granted more media access than the previous administration.

- Makes more loans available to small businesses.

- Appointed the first Latina to the U.S. Supreme Court.

- Authorized construction and opening of additional health centers to care for veterans.

- Deployed additional troops to Afghanistan.

- Returned money authorized for refurbishment of White House offices and private living quarters and paid for redecoration of White House living quarters from his own pocket.

- Signed national health care reform in an attempt to ensure coverage for the uninsured.

- Has put the ball in play for comprehensive immigration reform.

- Has announced his intention to push for energy and education reform.

Excerpts taken from 3chicpolitico.com

Glenda Overstreet is an active volunteer in the Topeka community. She can be reached at [email protected].