NickTarasewicz

PresidentialPositionPaper

ClimateChange
Someday,ourchildren,andourchildrenschildren,willlookatusintheeyeandtheyllaskus,
didwedoallthatwecouldwhenwehadthechancetodealwiththisproblemandleavethema
cleaner,safer,morestableworld?PresidentBarackObama,June25,2013

TheObamaadministrationistakingactiontocombatclimatechange.InJune2013,President
ObamaoutlinedtheClimateActionPlanthestepshisAdministrationwouldtaketocut
carbonpollution,helppreparetheUnitedStatesfortheimpactsofclimatechange,andcontinue
toleadinternationaleffortstoaddressglobalclimatechange.Forthesakeofourchildrenand
futuregenerations,wemustactnow.

COP21
TheUnitedStatesrecognizesitsroleincreatingclimatechangeanditsroleinsolvingthe
issue.HereinParis,let'ssecureanagreementthatbuildsinambition,whereprogresspaves
thewayforregularlyupdatedtargets.RecenteconomicgrowthintheUnitedStateshascome
despitealackofgrowthincarbonemissions,provingthatclimateadvancementsneednotcome
attheexpenseoftheeconomyorindividuallivelihoods.That'swhatweseekinthesenexttwo
weeksnotsimplyanagreementtorollbackthepollutionweputintotheskies,butan
agreementthathelpsusliftpeoplefrompovertywithoutcondemningthenextgenerationtoa
planetthatisbeyonditscapacitytorepair."

CuttingCarbonPollutioninAmerica
Irefusetocondemnyourgenerationandfuturegenerationstoaplanetthatsbeyondfixing.
PresidentBarackObama,June25,2013

TheUnitedStatesisleadingglobaleffortstoaddressthethreatofclimatechange.Since2005,
theUnitedStateshasreduceditstotalcarbonpollutionmorethananyothernationonEarth.

Windpowerhastripled,andenergyfromthesunhasincreasedtenfold.PresidentObamahas
takenaseriesofcommonsensestepstocurbcarbonpollutionandothergreenhousegases
throughinitiativesthatdriveenergyefficiency,promotecleanenergy,andputinplacethe
firstevercarbonpollutionstandardsforpowerplants.

ThePathTowardaCleanEnergyEconomy

ReducingCarbonPollutionfromPowerPlants
AccelerationCleanEnergyLeadership
RenewablesonPublicLands
Expandingandmodernizingtheelectricgrid
Stayingonthecuttingedgeofenergytechnology
Buildinga21stCenturyCleanEnergyInfrastructure
CuttingEnergyWasteinHomes,Business,andFactories
ReducingOtherGreenhouseGases
LeadingbyExampleingoinggreen
FederalGovernment
TheU.S.Military

PreparingfortheImpactsofClimateChange
Climatechangeisnotadistantthreatwearealreadyfeelingitsimpactsacrossthecountry.
Theweatherisgettingmoreextreme,asdroughts,wildfires,andfloodsarebecomingmore
frequentandintense.Climateimpactshaveaffectedeveryregionacrossthenationandinflicted
largecostsontheU.S.economy.Thatiswhystates,cities,tribes,andcommunitiesacross
Americaaretakingstepstopreparefortheimpactsofclimatechange.

BuildingaMoreClimateResilientAmerica

AssestheImpactsofClimateChange
SupportandLearnfromLocalLeaders
MakeClimateResilientInvestments
RebuildandLearnfromHurricaneSandy
PromoteResilienceintheHealthSector
ProciteDataandToolstoSupportClimateResilience
ReduceRiskofDroughtsandWildfires

LeadingInternationalEffortstoCombatGlobalClimateChange
Whatweneedisanagreementthatsambitiousbecausethatswhatthescaleofthe
challengedemands.Weneedaninclusiveagreementbecauseeverycountryhastoplayits
part.Andweneedanagreementthatsflexiblebecausedifferentnationshavedifferent
needs.PresidentBarackObama,June25,2013

Justasnocountryisimmunefromtheimpactsofclimatechange,nocountrycanmeetthis
challengealone.Americacontinuestoleadtheinternationalcommunityindrivingactionto

reducecarbonpollutionandprepareforclimateimpactsandishelpingtoforgeatrulyglobal
solutiontothisglobalchallenge.

LeadingPublicSectorFinancingTowardCleanerEnergy
BilateralCooperationwithMajorEconomies
ExpandingCleanEnergyUseandCuttingEnergyWaste
CuttingShortLivedClimatePollutants
SupportingForest
PromotingFreeTradeinEnvironmentalGoods
MultilateralEngagement
MobilizingClimateFinanceandPromotingGlobalClimateResilience

Informationtakenfrom:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/energy/climatechange

Reform&FiscalResponsibility
Wehavetosetpriorities.Ifwewantastrongmiddleclass,thenourtaxcodemustreflectour
values.PresidentBarackObama

DeficitReduction:LowerDiscretionarySpending

Reducedomesticanddefensespending
Imposelongtermspendingrestraints
Protectcoreinvestecfromdeepandeconomicallydamagingcuts
Inordertofundamentallyrebuildoureconomy,wehavetooutinnovate,out
educate,andoutbuildtheresultofthetheworld.PresidentBarackObama
ProtectPellGrants
Protectlowincomeandmiddleclassfamiliesfromshoulderingthesoleburdenofdeficit
reduction
Reformandbuilduponmedicareandmedicaid
Reformmandatoryspending

ParingBackUnnecessaryRegulations

Reduceregulatorycosts
IssueSmarterRegulations

HealthCareReform

Extendcoverageto34millionAmericans
AddressInsuranceindustryabuses

Bendingthegrowthcurveofhealthcarespending
ThePartnershipforPatients(improveserviceforpatients)
Investinhealthcareinformationtechnology
Curbingwaste,fraud,andabuseinMedicare,Medicaid,andotherhealthcareprograms

TaxReform

Taxcutsforthemiddleclass
TheAmericanOpportunityTaxCredit(AOTC)nowprovidescollegestudentswith
upto$10,000oftuitiontaxcreditsoverfouryears.
ImprovementstotheEarnedIncomeTaxCredit(EITC)andChildTaxCredit
(CTC),enactedin2009andextendedtwicemoreunderPresidentObama,are
helping16millionworkingfamiliesmakeendsmeet.
Bipartisanlegislationpermanentlyloweredincometaxratesfor98percentof
Americans,whileaskingthewealthiesthouseholdstopaymoretohelpreduce
thedeficit.(TheAmericanTaxpayerReliefActof2012)
TaxCutsforsmallbusinesses
Expandedandpermanentsmallbusinessexpensingtoencourageandreward
investment.Smallbusinessescancurrentlyexpenseupto$500,000of
investment,butonlytemporarily.ThePresidentwouldpermanentlyincreasethe
limitto$1million,andindexitforinflationgoingforward.
Dramaticallysimplifiedaccountingforsmallbusinessestoreducetaxpayer
burden.Aspartofbusinesstaxreform,thePresidentsplanwouldletbusinesses
withgrossreceiptsoflessthan$25million99.6%ofallbusinesses
dispensewithmostcomplicatedaccountingrules,whichcanbeespecially
complexandcostlyforsmallbusinesses.
Furthersimplificationsandtaxrelief,forexamplebyeliminatingcapitalgains
taxesonsmallbusinessstockandallowingsmallbusinessestoexpenseupto
$20,000ofstartupcosts.
Anew$500secondearnercredittohelpcovertheadditionalcostsfacedbyfamiliesin
whichbothspousesworkbenefiting24millioncouples.
AsimplifiedanddramaticallyexpandedChildCareTaxCreditthatwouldgiveataxcut
ofupto$3,000perchildformiddleclassfamilieswithyoungchildren.Theproposalwill
complementmajornewinvestmentsinthePresidentsBudgettoimprovechildcare
quality,access,andaffordability.
Simplified,consolidated,andexpandededucationtaxbenefits,includinganexpanded
AmericanOpportunityTaxCreditthatwouldprovidemorestudentsupto$2,500each
yearoverfiveyears(foratotalof$12,500)astheyworktowardacollegedegree.
Retirementsavingsopportunitiesfor30millionmoreworkers.ThePresidentsretirement
taxreformplangives30millionadditionalworkerstheopportunitytoeasilysavefor
retirementthroughtheiremployer.

AnexpandedEarnedIncomeTaxCreditforworkerswithoutchildrenandpermanent
extensionoftheEITCandChildTaxCreditimprovements.
Closeloopholestostoprewardingcompaniesforkeepingprofitsabroad,whilerewarding
thosethatinvestinAmerica.
Cutinefficientandunfairtaxbreaks
Cutthedeficit(seeabove)
IncreasejobcreationandgrowthintheUnitedStates
ObservetheBuffetRule(Nohouseholdmakingover$1millionannuallyshouldpaya
smallershareoftheirtotalincomeintaxesthanmiddleclassfamilies.)

CuttingWasteofResources

Consolidateduplicateandoverlappingprograms
Reduceadministrativeoverhead
Disposeofunneededfederalrealestate
Reducethenumberoffederaldatacenters
Curbingspendingoncontracts
Increasebusinesscompetitionandreducingnobidcontractstosavetaxpayersmoney
Leveragepurchasingpower(buyforeignproductinbulk)
Transformgovernmentrecordkeepingtodigitaltoreducewaste
Reduceimproperpaymentstoindividuals,organizations,andcontractors
Recaptureimproperpayments
EstablishaDoNotPaylist
Crackdownontaxdelinquentcontractors
PursuethosewhohadMedicare
RenewITprojectsathighestriskforfailure
MoveITApplicationstotheCloud
Makegovernmentinformationavailable(data.gov,USASpending.gov)
BringTransparencytoITSpending
Movegovernmentservicesonline

Informationtakenfrom:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/economy/reform
and
https://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/taxes

DefenseReform
AswelookbeyondthewarsinIraqandAfghanistanandtheendoflongtermnationbuilding
withlargemilitaryfootprintswellbeabletoensureoursecuritywithsmallerconventional
groundforces.WellcontinuetogetridofoutdatedColdWarerasystemssothatwecaninvest
inthecapabilitiesthatweneedforthefuture,includingintelligence,surveillanceand
reconnaissance,counterterrorism,counteringweaponsofmassdestructionandtheabilityto
operateinenvironmentswhereadversariestrytodenyusaccess.

So,yes,ourmilitarywillbeleaner,buttheworldmustknowtheUnitedStatesisgoingto
maintainourmilitarysuperioritywitharmedforcesthatareagile,flexibleandreadyforthefull
rangeofcontingenciesandthreats.

Werealsogoingtokeepfaithwiththosewhoserve,bymakingsureourtroopshavethe
equipmentandcapabilitiestheyneedtosucceed,andbyprioritizingeffortsthatfocuson
woundedwarriors,mentalhealthandthewellbeingofourmilitaryfamilies.Andasournewest
veteransrejoincivilianlife,wellkeepworkingtogiveourveteransthecare,thebenefitsandjob
opportunitiesthattheydeserveandthattheyhaveearned.

IthinkitsimportantforallAmericanstoremember,overthepast10years,since9/11,our
defensebudgetgrewatanextraordinarypace.Overthenext10years,thegrowthinthe
defensebudgetwillslow,butthefactofthematteristhis:Itwillstillgrow,becausewehave
globalresponsibilitiesthatdemandourleadership.Infact,thedefensebudgetwillstillbelarger
thanitwastowardtheendoftheBushadministration.AndIfirmlybelieve,andIthinkthe
Americanpeopleunderstand,thatwecankeepourmilitarystrongandournationsecurewitha
defensebudgetthatcontinuestobelargerthanroughlythenext10countriescombined.

PresidentBarackObama,January05,2012

Informationtakenfrom:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/thepressoffice/2012/01/05/remarkspresidentdefensestrategicreview