President Obama's impressive record

[ProSense]

Rachel Madow

MADDOW: If the Senate ratifies the START Treaty tomorrow, it caps an astonishing period in American political history.

For the last two years, Democrats have held the White House as well as big majorities in both the House and the Senate. Their record of achievement in that time, even in the face of unified, at times totally random Republican opposition, Republican opposition even do things Republicans had proposed in the first place, unified Republican opposition even to their own ideas—their track record even in the face of that is historic.

Whether you agree or disagree with what Democrats have done in the first two years of President Obama‘s presidency, they have freaking done it. The Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act for women, expanding children‘s health insurance, new hate crimes legislation that they said could not be done, tobacco regulation, credit card reform, student loan reform, the stimulus - which in addition to helping pull this country back from the brink of a Great Depression was also the largest tax cut ever, the largest investment in clean energy ever, the single largest investment in education in our country ever.

There was also a little thing you may have heard of called health reform. Also, Wall Street reform, the improvements to the new G.I. bill, the most expansive food safety bill since the 1930s.

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One of the most accomplished Presidents at this point in his Presidency, and the most pro-regulation President in last 40 years:

• Obama signs bill putting tobacco products under FDA oversight
  
  
• Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act
  
  
• Banning antibiotics in livestock production
  
  
• Food Safety bill
  
  
• Appointed Elizabeth Warren to establish the consumer bureau
  
  
• Elizabeth Warren Recruits Dodd-Frank Enforcers From 50 States
  
  
• Enacted shareholder rules on executive pay
  
  
• Fed's massive data release offers new insight into financial crisis
  
  
• Panel Begins to Set Rules to Govern Financial System (Volcker Rule)

Other Achievements:

• Saving the auto industry
  
  
• Nominating Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan to the SCOTUS
  
  
• Hospital Visitation Rights for Gay, Lesbian Partners Take Effect
  
  
• Sustainability partnerships
  
  
• Grants for renewable energy
  
  
• New regulations on debit card fees and credit cards
  
  
• Scientific Integrity Directive (America COMPETES Act)

The package of major legislative accomplishments:

• January 29, 2009: Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, Pub.L. 111-2
  
  
• February 4, 2009: Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (SCHIP), Pub.L. 111-3
  
  
• February 17, 2009: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), Pub.L. 111-5
  
  
• March 11, 2009: Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, Pub.L. 111-8
  
  
• March 30, 2009: Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, Pub.L. 111-11
  
  
• April 21, 2009: Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, Pub.L. 111-13
  
  
• May 20, 2009: Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009, Pub.L. 111-21
  
  
• May 20, 2009: Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009, Pub.L. 111-22
  
  
• May 22, 2009: Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009, Pub.L. 111-23
  
  
• May 22, 2009: Credit CARD Act of 2009, Pub.L. 111-24
  
  
• June 22, 2009: Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, as Division A of Pub.L. 111-31
  
  
• June 24, 2009: Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2009 including the Car Allowance Rebate System (Cash for Clunkers), Pub.L. 111-32
  
  
• October 28, 2009: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, including the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, Pub.L. 111-84
  
  
• November 6, 2009: Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009, Pub.L. 111-92
  
  
• December 16, 2009: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, Pub.L. 111-117
  
  
• February 12, 2010: Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act, as Title I of Pub.L. 111-139
  
  
• March 4, 2010: Travel Promotion Act of 2009, as Section 9 of Pub.L. 111-145
  
  
• March 18, 2010: Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act, Pub.L. 111-147
  
  
• March 23, 2010: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Pub.L. 111-148
  
  
• March 30, 2010: Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, including the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, Pub.L. 111-152
  
  
• May 5, 2010: Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-163
  
  
• July 1, 2010: Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-195
  
  
• July 21, 2010: Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Pub.L. 111-203
  
  
• August 3, 2010: Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-220
  
  
• August 10, 2010: SPEECH Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-223
  
  
• September 27, 2010: Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-240
  
  
• December 8, 2010: Claims Resolution Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-291, H.R. 4783
  
  
• December 13, 2010: Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-296, S. 3307
  
  
• December 17, 2010: Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-312, H.R. 4853
  
  
• December 22, 2010: Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-321, H.R. 2965
  
  
• January 2, 2011: James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, Pub.L. 111-347, H.R. 847
  
  
• January 4, 2011: Shark Conservation Act, Pub.L. 111-348, H.R. 81
  
  
• January 4, 2011: Food Safety and Modernization Act, Pub.L. 111-353, H.R. 2751

I understand why his approval rating in going up.