Resolved: Obama's performance in the White House has not been successful

Thanks LK for the debate. Energy Policy President Obama's first term has shown success in the green energy sector, and his energy policies have yielded positive results as well. To start, Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, commonly known as the Stimulus package. This package included nearly $50 billion towards energy infrastructure, energy efficiency, and renewable energy and investment. [1] [2] My opponent has listed some companies that have received loans but have still filed for bankruptcy. He is correct in what he has listed, but is leaving out the other side of the picture. Some of these loans started during the Bush Administration. [3] The main point is that under the Stimulus package, these loans to energy companies were used to improve domestic energy production. [4] [5] Your same source says that "It's entirely possible that the 5 million or more green jobs may be created within a decade once the national economy recovers." Obama Energy Accomplishments: -Renewable Energy is 12% of total energy production - a Campaign promise met [6] -Energy Partnership for Americas established, which will increase research and development in cleaner energy and green energy. It will coordinate these functions as well. [7] -Obama Administration has doubled fuel efficiency standards; which will save Americans over $1.7 trillion dollars, nearly $8000 a vehicle by 2025. It will also reduce America's dependence on foreign oil by about 12 million barrels and reduce oil consumption by 2025 about 2.2 million barrels a day. It will also cut 6 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the life of these programs. [8] -Solar, Wind, and Geothermal electricity production has doubled under Obama's Presidency. [8] -Made Energy producing plants now produce 15% of their energy from renewable sources [9] -American Oil production is at an 8-year high [10] -American Natural Gas production is at an all-time high [11] -American dependence on Foreign oil is now at the lowest point at 16 years at 45% [10] -America will now control 40% of the global lithium-ion battery market by 2015, thanks to Stimulus (instead of 2%). [12] -New safeguards under Obama Administration will prevent up to 11,000 premature deaths, 4,700 heart attacks, and 130,000 cases of asthma each year. [10] Obama's strategy has been largely successful as the evidence clearly shows. Gas Prices and Keystone Pipeline About the increase in gas prices, Obama has little control over gas prices, as global demand is the reason for increased prices. [13] It is a lie that Obama wants to increase gas prices, because Obama is committed to an all-of-the-above energy strategy. If you think Obama could control gas prices, why do you think he would do such as strange decision in an election year? Obama actually never denied the construction of the pipeline, and actually has allowed some parts of it. The reason for Obama's decline to build the pipeline was because the plan was rushed. It was planned to use fossil-fuel loaded tar sands, which would be horrendous to our climate crisis. [14] The pipeline, in its current form, would also go over a central aquifer in the Midwest, which twenty percent of the irrigated farmland on the US depends on, not including millions of people. [15] Obama has stated that he would support the pipeline if it had a plan that wouldn't threaten the environment. [14] Conclusion on Obama's Energy Policy: In conclusion, Obama has protected our nation's livelihood with our water supplies, has been able to make US energy production flourish to record highs in many categories, has taken actions against climate change, and has also been a very pro-energy President. Jobs/ Economy Obama has signed numerous bills to help the US economy and job situation. However, I must say that, the vast majority of economists and experts say that without the stimulus and innovative actions of the Fed, the USA had a high chance of slipping in to a Depression. [9] [15] [16] Obama's Economic Achievements: -Signed Stimulus, which significantly softened the recession, and created the basic conditions for job growth [17] -Prevented US from going into Depression [9] [15] [16] -Signed Stimulus, which created 2.1 million jobs, and saved 1.5 million jobs or more, and kept unemployment rate down by 1.1%. [18] -Signed Stimulus, which fired economy up by a significant 3.5% [19] -Created less Regulations than both Bushes and Reagan by this point in presidency [20] -Rescued the US auto industry, which saved more than 1.4 million jobs and prevented a loss of $96 billion in personal income. Made the Big Three profitable for the first time in years, and revitalized US auto manufacturing. The industry has added 200,000 jobs in the last 2.5 years, and GM is now back on top with record profits. [21] -Obama's has also cut taxes for small business 18 times and streamlined the patent process. [21] -The manufacturing sector has added 400,000 jobs since February 2010 [21] -When Obama entered office, the economy was losing 700,000 jobs a month. Now, it is creating about 200,000 jobs a month. [22] -The economy has added more than 3.9 million private sector jobs over 24 consecutive months of job growth. [21] -More Private Sector jobs created in 2010 alone than during Entire Bush Administration tenure [23] -Taxes are at lowest levels in 60 years [24] Here you can tell that Obama inherited a coming depression - but it was avertedConclusion on Jobs/ Economy: It has been clear, that most of the job losses that occurred during Obama's presidency happened in the first few months before Obama's policies were able to take place. The loss of jobs was so severe that if the path was allowed to continue, we would've been at 20% unemployment - in just a year. [25] The longer Obama's policies have been able to take effect, the better the economy has fared. Obama has been able to turn the economy around faster and less than half the time it took Reagan as well. Obama has helped prevent another depression, and history will show this as one of Obama's most important accomplishments. Never before have we seen a crisis as bad as the depression, and recovered as swiftly. Foreign Policy Obama has had numerous foreign policy successes. Obama Foreign Policy Accomplishments: -Ordered the killing of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, with zero casualties [27], defeated al-Qaeda's top leaders. [28] -Worked with UN and NATO to approve of a no-fly zone to protect anti-Qaddafi rebels. As a result, with only $1 billion, coalition forces helped rebels successfully overthrow the Qaddaffi regime [27] -Obama ended the costly and long Iraqi War in a responsible way [27] -Obama has actually strenghtened the US-Israel relationship, with military and intelligence, American support and cooperation at high levels, and according to an Israel official, the coordination is even better than under President Bush [28] -Momentum of Taliban has been broken, and a transition to Afghan-led security is underway. [28] -Obama has put crippling sanctions on Iran, which has made Iran weakened and isolated. [28] [29] -Obama supported Democratic transition in Egypt - called Egyptian authorities to respect the rights of protestors. Worked with Egyptian counterparts to set up steps for an orderly transition to power. [28] -Strengthened our alliances with other nations [30] New Start Treaty In reality, the New START requires that both Russia and the U.S. reduce their nuclear warhead arsenals to 1,550 each. [27] This treaty allows the US to resume inspections of Russian nuclear sites. Conclusion Obama's first term has been in very successful, some of the accomplishments ranging from revalitzing the American auto industry, strengthening American domestic energy, preventing an economic depression, improving the economy, and highly improving our national defense and foreign policy. Sources: http://www.debate.org...