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One week later
Jan. 27th, 2009 09:30 pmWithin his first week as President, Barack Obama has made serious steps on what I see as the two most critical issues our nation faces: the challenge of turning the threat of climate catastrophe into a driver for a new green economy, and the thorny issue of reversing the frightening erosions of our democratic values made by the Bush Administration in the name of national security.
Here's Obama in his own words from yesterday on the green recovery strategy, including a commitment to keep raising fuel economy standards and an instruction to the EPA to hurry up and let California tighten its own emissions standards, "or else we'll sic the Governator on you." But seriously, it's good rhetoric tied to an actual plan of action, so I'm happy. However, I should warn you not to get too mesmerized* by the finely-crafted prose.
As an aid to that, you can watch Obama sign four of his first executive orders last Wednesday, banning "enhanced interrogation techniques" outside the scope of the Army Field Manual, shutting down the probably-still-unconstitutional military commissions currently in progress, and committing to close Guantanamo Bay within a year, which may be how long it will take to figure out what to do with all the detainees. The new President looks rather small and uncertain sitting behind the giant Oval Office desk, with important military officials standing around him and camera shutters constantly clicking. He really does say "uh" too much when not making a well-prepared speech. But then, he'll probably get better at this with practice.
*Dave Barry's Year in Review is particularly brilliant this year, or maybe it just seems that way because if I weren't laughing hysterically I would have been sobbing. Among the best lines: "The federal government is finally forced to take over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac after they are caught selling crack at a middle school. But that is not enough, as major financial institutions, having lost hundreds of billions of dollars thanks to years of engaging in practices ranging from questionable to moronic, begin failing, which gives the federal government an idea: Why not give these institutions MORE hundreds of billions of dollars, generously provided by taxpayers?"
Here's Obama in his own words from yesterday on the green recovery strategy, including a commitment to keep raising fuel economy standards and an instruction to the EPA to hurry up and let California tighten its own emissions standards, "or else we'll sic the Governator on you." But seriously, it's good rhetoric tied to an actual plan of action, so I'm happy. However, I should warn you not to get too mesmerized* by the finely-crafted prose.
As an aid to that, you can watch Obama sign four of his first executive orders last Wednesday, banning "enhanced interrogation techniques" outside the scope of the Army Field Manual, shutting down the probably-still-unconstitutional military commissions currently in progress, and committing to close Guantanamo Bay within a year, which may be how long it will take to figure out what to do with all the detainees. The new President looks rather small and uncertain sitting behind the giant Oval Office desk, with important military officials standing around him and camera shutters constantly clicking. He really does say "uh" too much when not making a well-prepared speech. But then, he'll probably get better at this with practice.
*Dave Barry's Year in Review is particularly brilliant this year, or maybe it just seems that way because if I weren't laughing hysterically I would have been sobbing. Among the best lines: "The federal government is finally forced to take over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac after they are caught selling crack at a middle school. But that is not enough, as major financial institutions, having lost hundreds of billions of dollars thanks to years of engaging in practices ranging from questionable to moronic, begin failing, which gives the federal government an idea: Why not give these institutions MORE hundreds of billions of dollars, generously provided by taxpayers?"
