So our new President has been in office for only a few weeks and now we have some actions to base our opinions on! Here's a quick rundown of some of the things he's done and how I feel about them. (This is in no way a comprehensive or complete list of the Presidents actions)
Investigating the detainees at Gitmo: Good. They deserve someone looking into whether or not they should still be detained, convicted, deported, or released with our apologies. I'm not so thrilled that this order is going to declare a halt to all trials currently under way. I thought that getting these people trials was the point.
Closing Gitmo within one year: Bad. It's gonna take more time than that to investigate and give due process to everyone there. Especially if you are putting a stop to current trials. What do we do with the ones that we are holding for trial, or haven't gotten to yet? Put them in our already over crowded prisons?
Hillary as Secretary of State: Bad. President Obama, you had instilled great confidence in me with your speech, parade, and first actions. Then I heard Hilary speak as Secretary of State and I remembered that somehow you wanted to unify the country by appointing one of the most divisive women in the nation to the highest possible position in your administration. (And upon further review I see that you've kept John McCain close to you. You selected someone who said you couldn't be a leader as your VP and another person who said you weren't ready to lead as your Secretary of State. Are you simply keeping your "enemies" close by?) You had many choices, she was a bad one.
A desire that his daughters not receive preferential treatment due to Affirmative Action: Good. I like the sentiment. Act on it. Just like you wouldn't want your daughters to be "punished with a baby." You've acted on that one.
Lifting ban on Federal Funding for international groups that promote or perform abortions: Bad. So much for "trying to reduce the number of abortions." Though, honestly, does this move surprise anyone?
Transparency of Government: Good. In high school, I ran for student council president. I lost. However, one major platform of my campaign was that the student council was insulated from the rest of the student body. They made decisions, interacted with the administration "on our behalf," and suggested changes to how the school was run. All, seemingly, without the knowledge or input of any students except those that got up at the crack of dawn and got a ride to school to attend their meetings. The first thing the Student Council president did once he was elected was put up a bulletin board for notifications of possible changes from, and suggestions for, the student council. Transparency of Government has always been important to me. I hope he fulfills this promise.
Economic Stimulus Package: Bad. Being a fan of small government, anytime they return some of our own money to us I'm happy. Of course, if what I've heard is true and there will be checks sent to those that didn't pay any taxes, I'd need to be sold on why that is a fair action for the government to take. Who else can we give money to? Gave to the banks, gave to Detroit, giving to every American. Whose left? And where is the money coming from?!
Salary Freeze for White House Employees making $100K/Year: Good. This is very good. They shouldn't be handing out raises to people who make more than enough in a time of economic crisis. What does the White House think it is? One of the "failing" banking institutions?
End date for the War in Iraq: To Be Determined. Obama has said he wants US combat troops out of Iraq in 16 months, as long as withdrawal does not endanger either the gains made there or the Americans left behind to provide training. If this is what actually happens: good. If he sticks to the 16 months regardless of outcome: bad.
Praise from Fidel Castro: Bad. Nothing like the most well known former communist leader in the Western Hemisphere praising the new President.
Limits on Lobbyists' White House access: Good. I don't like lobbyists. I think they are part of what is wrong with our government. This is a good first step. The new lobbying rules will ban any former White House employee from trying to influence the administration after they leave the staff. It also includes current aides, should they, at any point, leave their posts. Those already hired will be banned from working on matters they have previously lobbied on, or to approach agencies that they once targeted. The rules also ban lobbyists from giving gifts of any kind to any member of his administration.
Certain appointees: Bad. Fraud. Tax problems for the head of the IRS. Other issues that are being swept under the rug. If this Congress or media had a Republican appointing people with these "errors," "mistakes," or "oversights" it would be all over the news and they probably wouldn't be in those positions. Which really, leads me to my final point:
Democratic President, Democratic House, Democratic Senate: Bad. Nothing like Carte Blanche. Does his majesty want something? It shall be so. Stimulus package? Aye aye! There are checks and balances in the government for a reason. Right now, they are all in the off position.
If we weigh all of these the same, it looks like his first few weeks is leaning bad. But that isn't to say he can't turn it around.
1 comment:
Well done! I appreciate your objectivity!
One thing I did a little research on a few weeks back-- the lift on the gag-rule on abortion by international groups.
From what I read this has been going back and forth with every administrative change since Bush Sr. first put the ban in place. Clinton lifted it his first term. George W. reinstated it in his first term. Now Obama has lifted it again.
T. and I were wondering if this was just a tip of the hat toward the pro-choice movement. A way for Obama to say "see I did take action on the abortion issue within my first 100 days" without really doing anything major that hadn't been done before. In the bigger scheme of things this is a minor gain for the pro-choice movement rather than a major shift, maybe it'll be enough to keep them at bay for a while.
Post a Comment