posted
Looks like Obama's hit the ground running. Besides requesting a suspension of all war crimes trials at Guantanamo for 120 days ( MSNBC link), Obama has froze salaries of White House staff making over $100,000 per year ( MSNBC link):
quote: ... [Obama] froze salaries for top White House staff members, placed phone calls to Mideast leaders and had aides circulate a draft executive order that would close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay within a year...
The pay freeze affects the roughly 100 White House employees who make more than $100,000 a year. "Families are tightening their belts, and so should Washington," Obama said.
I haven't followed previous administrations closely enough to compare Obama's to, but it does seem as if he's making some quick decisions even before everyone's in place. I certainly don't remember so much attention focused on a new President as he takes office and begins his term before. I expect to see a lot more happening over the next few days and weeks that ought to really stimulate the national dialog, if not the economy.
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posted
Well, what did Bush do after all? He went to the balls and services, and then flew to Texas to do yard work. Slight exaggeration- but actually not THAT much of one.
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quote:He also announced a change in policy that will require each federal agency and department to give full attention to freedom of information requests and said he expects members of his administration to be responsive to such pleas.
"There is too much secrecy in this city. Every agency should know … this administration stands on the side of those who seek to make information known."
"Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this administration," Obama said.
quote:Originally posted by Orincoro: ...an event planner who has the opportunity to choose something original by the same artist (if such material exists), and chooses not to.
You might be on to something, 'Imperial March' would have been a spectacularly more entertaining selection.
posted
As long as we're discussing the first 100 days, has anyone taken a look at his two executive orders?
The first covers presidential records, while the second is regarding ethics obligations for political appointees with an emphasis on interactions with lobbyists.
My first impression is fairly positive, but I don't really have much context for understanding them fully. I'd love to hear someone more familiar with this sort of thing weigh in on them.
Posts: 2437 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
He also ordered a freeze on all White House salaries over $100K. No raises for the staff this year.
PS. I love the new whitehouse.gov. I don't recall it being that easy to find executive orders under Bush, and in general I think it's a lot more user friendly.
I scanned over the Ethics Agreement order and it looks cool. I'm not sure what the precedent here is, in that, I'm not sure how current ethics laws cover Executive branch officials and in what way this XO is an increase in the level of severity of the law or not.
Regardless of how it compares to the laws on the books, it looks like a good measure. Dagonee could probably offer a far more in depth look, or at least put it in context a lot more easily. But it looks to me like he's going after kickbacks. No gifts from lobbyists, no steering dollars towards certain companies, and you aren't even allowed to be a lobbyist for anyone you've done business until after you're out of your position for two years, and even then, you aren't allowed to come back and lobby the Obama Administration in any official capacity.
I'm not sure how well this would cover the spectrum of graft that already exists out there, but it looks like it's trying to take a good bite out of it at least. Context is everything, and I'd love to know more about current ethics legislation and how effective anyone might expect this XO to be, but the spirit is nice anyway.
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I'm a little disappointed that the time-line isn't faster but for now I'm willing to accept this as reasonable given the legal and administrative hurdles involved. If we don't see significant progress towards closing these prisons within the next few months or the 1 year deadline gets pushed back, this will seem more and more like posturing than real change. For now at least, I'm cautiously optimistic
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posted
I missed it by that much. Its not really fair as my electrons had to travel all the way from the tropics and Strider is . . .
well actually I have no idea where Strider is but electrons are notoriously slow crossing through the Caribbean. They are just too drawn in by the don't worry, be happy culture and frequently stop to lime on a beach or flirt with the girls. I really didn't have a chance.
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posted
You typed more words than me and shared more of your own thoughts. Sometimes it pays to be brief. Posts: 8741 | Registered: Apr 2001
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I'm a little disappointed that the time-line isn't faster but for now I'm willing to accept this as reasonable given the legal and administrative hurdles involved. If we don't see significant progress towards closing these prisons within the next few months or the 1 year deadline gets pushed back, this will seem more and more like posturing than real change. For now at least, I'm cautiously optimistic
My god.
This is like being given a backrub by the news.
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posted
Hmmm, CIA secret prisons. I wonder if we get to know where they were after they're safely closed.
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posted
Kmboots, were you referring to me? I have no problem if Obama did a private repeat of taking the oath of office. I am glad he showed enough respect for the Constitution to do that, since the exact words are specified in the Constitution. So long as he did not swear on the Koran or something, who cares?
Too bad the whole Inauguration couldn't have been done in private, to save the country 160 million dollars for the biggest security challenge in history.
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posted
I was just teasing you, Ron. Though it is fine with me if someone takes the oath on the Koran if that has meaning for them.
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quote:Too bad the whole Inauguration couldn't have been done in private, to save the country 160 million dollars for the biggest security challenge in history.
You do realize that the $160 million dollar number is fraudulent?
Neither the security nor the parties associated with this inauguration were significanlty greater than what was spent for Bush's inauguration in 2005. Based on the best estimates I've seen, after adjusting for inflation the security for Obama's inauguration was actually less than the security for Bush's last inauguration.
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quote:So long as he did not swear on the Koran or something, who cares?
He could've sworn in on a where's waldo book, it doesn't matter. He also doesn't have to say "so help me god" afterwords, that's his prerogative too.
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quote:So long as he did not swear on the Koran or something, who cares?
Why would you care is he swore the oath on the Koran? What do you see as wrong about that?
Now if he'd sworn the oath on a copy of Dianetics or Atlas Shrugged, I'd find it cause for concern, not constitutional concern just personally worrying.
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posted
Wouldn't it be awesome if he swore the oath on something like Speaker for the Dead? Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance would be pretty awesome.
I'd be terrified if he used something like Twilight or The Davinci Code.
Now, what would *really* be amusing is if he swore the oath on a copy of Audacity of Hope.
Posts: 8741 | Registered: Apr 2001
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quote:Now, what would *really* be amusing is if he swore the oath on a copy of Audacity of Hope
Well it would definitely add fuel to the "Messiah complex" fire, if you find that kind of thing "amusing".
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posted
Out of curiosity, if anyone here was sworn in, what would you be sworn in on?
I'd probably be sworn in on either a copy of the Constitution or the bill of rights. Or maybe just a book of US laws. JQA had it right.
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quote:Originally posted by Strider: Now, what would *really* be amusing is if he swore the oath on a copy of Audacity of Hope.
:: laugh ::
quote:Originally posted by Lyrhawn: I'd probably be sworn in on either a copy of the Constitution or the bill of rights. Or maybe just a book of US laws. JQA had it right.
Yep, Constitution for me too.
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posted
I'd be sworn in without my hand on any book. One's word should be valid regardless of where ones hand is when one makes it.
Posts: 12591 | Registered: Jan 2000
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posted
The issue is that after being accused of being a closet Muslim, Barack Obama swore up and down he was not Muslim, but has been a Christian for decades. I understand that there was a Congressman a while back who did take his oath of office on a Koran. No big deal, as long as his constituents knew up front what they were voting for.
By the way, Rabbit, I don't see Islam as being any better than Dianetics. They are both religions I suspect of being dangerous to humanity.
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posted
Islam is a religion which over a billion human beings find to be deeply meaningful. Over its history, Islam has had no greater tendency to violence and intolerance than Christianity.
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posted
In the interests of unity and peace, I'd like to declare that I agree with both of the previous two posts fully.
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quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: Islam is a religion which over a billion human beings find to be deeply meaningful. Over its history, Islam has had no greater tendency to violence and intolerance than Christianity.
Yes, but most of Christianity has grown out of the pogroms and urge to genocide. Islam has yet to do so. There's a difference.
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quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: I'd be sworn in without my hand on any book. One's word should be valid regardless of where ones hand is when one makes it.
It's a miracle. I agree with the Rabbit about something.
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