THE OBAMA RECORD

(January 20, 2009 – December 31, 2009)

Robert P. Watson, Ph.D.
Lynn University

There is a lot of misinformation circulating on talk radio, at town hall meetings, in the blogosphere, and around office water coolers about President Obama not accomplishing anything in his first year in office. It is time to set the record straight with a list of Obama’s initiatives for 2009.

Ethics
• Ordered the White House and all federal agencies to respect the Freedom of Information Act; Bush era limits on accessibility of federal documents have been overturned
• Instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible
• Placed limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House
• Placed limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration
• Signed a measure strengthening registration and reporting requirements for lobbyists
• Ordered that lobbyists must be removed from and are no longer permitted to serve on federal and White House advisory panels

Governance
• Held many more press conferences and provided the media with far more access than his predecessor
• Held more “town hall” events to inform and engage the public than previous administrations
• The White House website now provides information on all economic stimulus projects and spending, along with an unprecedented amount of information on our government

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