#PresidentialActions #USPresident #GovernmentBenefits
As a citizen, it’s natural to have strong opinions about the actions and policies of the President. People often argue about what a President does for them and what they believe a President doesn’t do. Amidst the political debates and discussions, there’s one question that often gets overlooked – what is one concrete thing you can honestly say a President did for you?
In this article, we’ll delve into the impactful actions of a President and highlight some concrete ways in which a President’s decisions can directly affect the lives of citizens. Whether it’s through economic policies, healthcare reforms, or educational initiatives, a President’s actions can have a tangible impact on the everyday lives of individuals. Let’s explore some concrete examples of how a President can make a difference:
Understanding the Impact of a President’s Actions
The role of a President in a country like the United States is significant, as they have the power to shape and influence policies that have far-reaching implications. Here are some ways in which a President’s actions can have a direct impact:
Economic Policies: The decisions made by a President with regards to taxation, trade agreements, and economic stimulus packages can impact the financial well-being of citizens. For example, a President’s tax reform policy may result in lower tax burdens for middle-class families, allowing them to have more disposable income.
Healthcare Reforms: The implementation of healthcare reforms, such as the Affordable Care Act, can provide citizens with access to affordable health insurance and preventive care services. This can greatly benefit individuals who may have previously struggled to afford healthcare coverage.
Educational Initiatives: A President’s support for educational initiatives, such as college affordability programs or investment in public education, can provide students with greater access to quality education and reduce the burden of student loan debt.
Environmental Policies: The implementation of environmental policies and conservation efforts by a President can directly impact the quality of air, water, and natural resources available to citizens. This can have long-term health and environmental benefits for communities.
Infrastructure Investment: A President’s commitment to infrastructure investment can result in improved transportation systems, upgraded public facilities, and job opportunities for citizens in construction and related industries.
Providing Personal Perspective
It’s one thing to discuss the broad impact of a President’s actions, but it’s equally important to consider the personal experiences of individuals. Here, we’ll provide some personal perspectives on how a President’s actions have made a difference in the lives of citizens:
🏥 Healthcare Accessibility: As a result of the Affordable Care Act, I was able to obtain affordable health insurance coverage for myself and my family, providing peace of mind and access to essential healthcare services.
📚 Educational Support: The expansion of student loan forgiveness programs by the government allowed me to alleviate the burden of student loan debt and pursue further education without financial barriers.
🌍 Environmental Protection: The conservation initiatives implemented by the government preserved the natural landscapes and resources in my community, ensuring a healthier environment for future generations.
Creating Positive Change Through Presidential Actions
Ultimately, the impact of a President’s actions can be far-reaching, extending beyond mere policy decisions to shape the daily lives of citizens. By understanding the tangible ways in which a President’s actions can bring about positive change, individuals can gain a deeper appreciation for the significance of their role in governance.
In conclusion, the question of what a President has done for you is not just a matter of political debate, but a personal reflection of the impact of governance on individual lives. Whether it’s through economic policies, healthcare reforms, educational initiatives, or environmental conservation efforts, a President’s actions can have a concrete and meaningful influence on the well-being of citizens. It’s important to recognize and acknowledge the positive changes that stem from effective governance and leadership.
By taking a closer look at the meaningful actions of a President, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of how governance directly affects their lives. The impact of a President’s decisions can be profound, shaping the economic, social, and environmental landscape in ways that resonate with citizens on a personal level. As citizens, it’s crucial to engage in informed discussions and evaluations of a President’s actions, recognizing their potential to bring about positive change and meaningful progress for the nation.
What’s insane is people don’t realize your presidential election means a hell of a lot less than your local and state elections. That Should’ve been blatantly obvious after Covid that your state and local gov holds the keys to what directly impacts your day to day life.
It’s possible I wouldn’t exist without Jimmy Carter’s education reform as Governor of Georgia. So I guess that’s something?
President Obama’s home loan forgiveness program. I was hosed during the housing crash in 2011. I couldn’t find a buyer for my house after I had to move to another base and had to short sale my house for way less than what I paid for it. His program forgave the remainder of the loan making it so I didn’t have to pay taxes on what would’ve been considered income.
Helped me learn a lot about the people around me
Bill Clinton signed the Family and Medical Leave Act into law right before my first child was born, allowing his father to take time off work without getting fired.
The President appoints Supreme Court justices- controls if the courts will make it legal for gay people to get married or even have sex. A lot of people are now married that would not be if we’d had different Presidents.
Obama program for first time home buyers is the only reason I am a home owner.
Obama made it possible for me to get badly needed health insurance.
Back in 2010’s I was really overweight, and low income. Anyone willing to insure me was going to be $800+/month. In 2009 (pre ACA) I actually had a serious health event and racked up nearly 200k in bills. Thankfully it got comped by the hospital as a donation… but that would have bankrupted my family.
Had another scare is 2014, and made it through financially because I had insurance.
I’m in a better spot both financially and physically today. So I don’t take any insurance credits. But I’m here today because Obama brought us the ACA. If he hadn’t I likely would be bankrupt and or dead.
Not me personally, but my brother had a rare brain tumor that was deemed inoperable. I wrote a letter to then President Bill Clinton explaining the rarity of the tumor and the staggering complexity of dealing with the health care business. His staff gave my letter to Hillary, who personally put us in contact with a French surgeon who specialised in this type of surgery. The surgeon let us come to a teaching clinic he was doing in the US, and he removed the tumor FOR FREE, including the hospital stay. From contacting President Clinton to the successful outcome was less than three months, and we had struggled to get any support or help from the “system” for over three years. The symptoms had gotten so bad that my brother confided to me that he had made plans to commit suicide, and would I please explain it all to my parents afterwards because he was very worried how it would affect them. That’s when I wrote the letter, not knowing what else to do. My brother is healthy and happily married today and has two beautiful girls, one of whom is named Hillary.
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Follow up edit to my original post-
Wow. Thank you for all the kind words, I’m kind of shocked at the response. I don’t know how to reply to all the comments and questions without writing the same stuff over and over, maybe this will suffice.
I was 28 and my big brother was 29 when I wrote to the Clintons. It was 1993, and they were trying to get universal health care passed, it was in the news a lot. I suppose that’s what prompted me to write. I didn’t have a computer, I wrote the letter on a notepad, and while it’s been a long time ago, I remember just telling my brother’s story and asking for help. He got a phone call from Hillary’s staff member one night soon after. I remember it was late, because my brother called me so excited…we both were. I remember my brother asking me if I thought it was all real.
I didn’t mean my post to sound ungrateful if I did…after the surgery, we both contacted Hilary’s office and told them he was cured, and tried to express our gratitude. I remember feeling awkward trying to find the right words to thank them for giving me my big bro back. Everyone was very kind. I do know that our story isn’t a unicorn, the Clintons have a long history of helping people, I’ve spoken to several, there are people on this thread with similar stories. All without a bunch of “look what a good deed I did” publicity.
To the comments about the health care system in this country, it’s a sore subject with me. My brother and I were both musicians, and had formed a band together right after high school. We went from playing local bars to traveling and touring, playing 250 shows a year, trying to get a break with our own songs. At some point, he became sick, and we spent the next year trying to get a diagnosis while continuing a pretty grueling schedule. Eventually he had to quit the band and got a job hanging dry wall with a good company, he received health insurance, but even though he had never received a proper diagnosis the insurance company deemed most of it a pre existing condition.
Once he received a proper diagnosis, four different neurologists told him he wouldn’t survive surgery, and prescribed a medicine made in Switzerland that had been originally designed to assist in children bed wetting, he needed to take twice a day. That made his symptoms manageable, but about two years in the company discontinued the product, and another pharma outfit picked it up, and raised the price from $180 to over $2500 a month. We called the owner of the patent and asked for a discount, and they offered us 10%. Public aid told us that he made too much money to qualify for assistance, but if he would claim indigence, quit work, go on welfare and food stamps, they could help. My brother is a proud man and that was unacceptable to him, though I begged him to do it. Eventually, he was opening up credit cards and maxing them out to get his medicine. I didn’t have any money, we came from a poor family, we were all pitching in every penny we could scrape together to keep him alive. That’s how he ended up in that place. That’s how anyone could end up in that place. I don’t wish that level of despair on anyone.
I know the Clinton’s are controversial, but you’ll never convince me or any of my family they aren’t good decent people. I’m not saying they’re perfect, but just exactly who among us is? Anyway, I watched the Republicans destroy the universal health care bill six months after saving my brother. My brother went on to start his own dry wall company, hire a dozen employees with good paying jobs and proper health insurance, live an honest life. He’s paid more in Federal taxes and SS than any surgery or help ever cost, many times over. He still pays 100% of his employees health insurance cost. Hillary’s namesake is a nurse on a pediatric neuro ward, his other daughter is director of DEI at a major university, and they have six children between them. The world is a better place because all of them are in it. Kindness has a ripple effect I think most people will never realize, certainly I didn’t until everything that transpired.
Really sorry for the long post, but I haven’t spoken about this much outside of some friends and family, certainly not on social media. Something about the question posed by the OP struck me and brought it all flooding back.
My insulin is $35. I’ve almost died because I couldn’t afford it before. Biden will have my vote.
Nixon stopped the draft. I didn’t go to Vietnam. My lottery number was 70, it was certain I was headed to an all expense paid trip to the orient when I graduated until he stopped the draft.
Getting rid of preexisting health conditions. My old boss constantly changed insurance carriers to save like $12 a month per employee (there were 4 of us.) I had a whiplash from years before and quickly found out I couldn’t get treatment because it happened before they insured me and they said Disney should pay because, their roller coaster. I had to lie about for over 20 years.
Though it was the result of decades of lobbying, George Bush was president when the ADA bill was passed in 1992. The universal design principles mandated by this law arguably make life better for every single citizen despite the fact that they are effectively “invisible” due to their ubiquity nowadays.
I’m alive because of Richard Nixon, and so was my father. He is the one who extended Medicare coverage to kidney failure patients so everyone could access dialysis.
It was partly in response to public outcry over the *literal* life and death panels who decided [who lived (got access to dialysis) and who died (got sent home)](http://www.nephjc.com/news/godpanel).
Otherwise, my father would have died before I could have reunited with him. And I would have been dead since August 2010. Thanks, Tricky Dick.
Obama increased the age at which a parent could keep a child on their insurance plan as long as they were a full time student up to 24 yrs old.
Edit: Up to 26 years, and without stipulation.
Not the President, but the Presidents wife. Betty Ford was a pioneer in two main issues, breast cancer and substance abuse. By being open about her own problems with these she helped thousands of people understand, deal with, and get better.
Obama sent me a thank you letter for inviting him to my wedding.
I assume one of his aides signed it for him but I still appreciate it.
In the housing crash , 07/08 , we lost our home. Had to do a short sale for half it’s worth. The Obama administration had pushed through tax laws that didn’t make us report it as capital gains . We had small kids then . It would’ve made it even harder to provide for them.
With President Bush being from Texas, my kids wanted to send George W. and Laura Bush a Christmas card. (ages 9 and 7) We went to Hallmark and they picked one out. When we came home they wrote notes as best they could. I taught them how to find the address, address the envelope and apply postage.
We felt good about it and then continued with our lives. On February 2nd, 2007 there was a letter in my mailbox from the Whitehouse. In the envelope was a copy of the Presidential letter to the Nation for the New Year. Along with that letter was another personal letter from President Bush to my family, signed, thanking us for the Christmas card and holiday wishes.
We all think that was pretty cool.
I was able to get insurance with pre-existing conditions because of the ACA.
Obamacare. Saved my kids life. He was 22 and dying. Obamacare and BAM! Insurance until he was 26. A literal lifesaver.
I was legally allowed to get married so that’s pretty cool. #thanksobama
Obama’s Affordable Care Act was a Godsend. Previously existing conditions were now covered without a 2 year wait, employers had to reimburse COBRA benefit costs, and myriad other good things. It was not perfect legislation, but it was a damn good start.
The passage of the ADA under George HW Bush.
Jimmy Carter passed the law which legalized homebrewing, a hobby which I turned into a career.
Bill Clinton allowing all people to use GPS (via an order to stop the scrambling of the satellite signals) is probably not very well known, but has had a major impact on almost everyone’s life now (in our cell phones and our cars):
[https://www.cnet.com/culture/celebrating-10-years-of-gps-for-the-masses/](https://www.cnet.com/culture/celebrating-10-years-of-gps-for-the-masses/)
Obama’s Affordable Care Act. I got cancer in college and my parents didn’t have insurance at the time. Because of the ACA, I was able to get treatment without having to drop out of college and/or going bankrupt. Literally saved my life.
Biden knocked my 25mb/s cable bill from $190/mo to 1000mb/s for $52/mo courtesy of his infrastructure bill.
George Bush Sr. Signed the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you don’t think that helped me out. I was able to make sure my mom could keep her job when she couldn’t get in the building anymore because of her inability to walk. They were obligated to put in a ramp instead of firing her.
Clinton & the FMLA saved my job after a hospitalization for a kidney stone.
Obama in 2011 began a drawdown in Afghanistan. Both my sons were in a National Guard unit preparing to deploy when their orders were cancelled.
Obama, the ACA helped out greatly when I was between jobs.
But that’s the shallow way of looking at politics. For example, Trump’s tax cuts resulted in higher debt, and future generations will have to deal with it, while his inaction, or negative impact, or climate change will also have additional costs. Voter disenfranchisement, same thing. It’s not how it impacts you directly, but how it impacts you indirectly. Funny thing, most of Trump’s base is impacted negatively by the GOP, but they’re too stupid to realize it
Despite being married to an American, my mom’s citizenship process had been drawn out 7 years longer than it was supposed to, and the system kept putting her off. We were about to move overseas, so we needed to get it done. Parents contacted our congressperson who said he’d help but never did. In a last ditch, my dad wrote President Bush (43) explaining the situation.
He wrote back, and my mom was naturalized two months later.
Joe Biden made recently made insulin available for $35. When I tried to buy an extra bottle not covered by insurance before that, Walgreen’s wanted $900.
one good thing Trump did was approve paid parental leave for federal employees, which I used about a year later. I had one week with my son after my wife’s traumatic unplanned c-section… 3 months with my daughter 3 years later. it should be law for all us citizens.
Bill Clinton’s ‘Welfare to work” program saw my single mother begin the 90’s as a factory worker dependent on government aid, and ended the decade as a small business owner. We went from poverty to prosperity in those short years.
Obama’s Supreme Court appointments led to the legality of my marriage.
I miss them both.
Obamacare saved my sister’s life because she could not afford medical insurance before it.
After she got on to Medicaid because of Obamacare, she was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension that would have killed her within 5 years if it did not been trwated. She could not have afforded the medication either, which was over $1,200 a month. Obamacare paid for that too.
That was 12 years ago. She’s still alive, on the same medication , and while the condition is incurable, it is also being held at bay.
So yeah. Thanks, Obama. And no thanks to the president who came after Obama whose name starts with a T, and his cronies, who tried to end Obamacare. And may again get a shot at killing it in a few months.
Trump inspired me to become a citizen after I had a green card for 30 years. Why? So I could vote against that fucker whenever I can.
Home brewing was illegal until Jimmy Carter – America’s teetotaling 39th President – signed H.R. 1337 and essentially lifted 50 years of prohibition regulations on home brewing that made it possible for hobbyist to legally brew at home.