I believe in writing thank you notes and I wish more people would go back to the old school way of sending out a thank you note when someone does something huge for you. As I was thinking about this and listening to numerous people saying that President Barack Obama has done nothing for the American people, I wanted to let him, and the people who read this column, know that I am grateful for the things that he has done. Since the list is huge and will not fit into this column, I selected a few things that I thought might be of interest to all of you. What hurts the most, is when I hear people say that he has not done anything for African Americans. Obama is not the president just for Black people, he is the president of the United States of America and the things that he has done are for all U.S. citizens.
The two things that I am most happy about are the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) and the Credit Card Act. Maybe you don’t pay any attention, but the reason you can now see how long it is going to take to pay off that credit card bill is due to Obama. As for HARP, many people were able to reduce their high mortgage rates and go from a 30-year fixed to a 15-year fixed one without much effort. Below, you will see some of the other things that he has accomplished. Thank you, President Obama, you will be missed.
•Families with three or more children have their taxes reduced $200-$600 through the permanent expansion of the Child Tax Credit.
•College students can claim $2,500 towards tuition, fees and course material on their taxes after the extension of the American Opportunity Tax Credit.
•Veterans and their families are offered in-state tuition rates at public colleges and universities in all 50 states.
•United States and Cuba re-open embassies after 54-year diplomatic freeze.
•New Medicare formulas have changed the way doctors are reimbursed and rewards them when their patients have better health outcomes.
•Large disparity in jail sentences have been reduced for crack cocaine related offenses that disproportionately affected African Americans.
•Borrowers are protected from bad loans with rules and penalties requiring that lenders verify that they are able to repay the loans that they issue.
•The FDIC bank deposit insurance was increased from $100,000 to $250,000.
•Billions given to expand Pell grants and make it easier for students to repay outstanding loans after graduation through savings in the federal student loan program.
•Billions given to laid off workers for education and career training programs in community.
•People with a pre-existing conditions cannot be denied health coverage by an insurance company.
•The Liquidation of General Motors and Chrysler was avoided through government mandated restructuring plans, and conditional investment and loan programs.
•Homeowners’ foreclosures avoided by improved terms for loan modification and restructuring of their debt.
(Email the columnist at debbienorrell@aol.com)
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