Ten Moves Obama Will Make Quickly
The next president will act within hours to put his imprint on government policy and show he's really serious about changing direction.
By Richard Sammon, Senior Associate Editor, The Kiplinger Letter
November 18, 2008
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President-elect Barack Obama will have more on his to-do list on Jan. 20 than just take the oath of office on the north front of the Capitol, as historic as that will be.
He'll move within hours to mark a change in direction in national policies, issuing executive orders to reverse several of President Bush's more controversial policies and ask Congress to weigh in soon after with passage of bills blocked by Bush's vetoes or veto threats.
Expect these 10 quick moves:
Debt rescue package. New regulations or executive branch guidelines should make bank mergers easier in order to save teetering institutions. Also, stricter guidelines on restricting golden parachutes and curbing high executive compensation in firms participating in the government financial intervention. Plus, more-exact policy language defining which industries and types of firms will be eligible to participate in the Treasury-led rescue. Also possible is a temporary suspension on regulations requiring employer-funded defined-benefit pension plans to be fully funded in light of the slide in portfolio values.
Mortgages. Obama's team is working on additional steps to help struggling homeowners with the aim of using executive branch policymaking tools to set a course, most likely in conjunction with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Treasury Department and Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The initial step may begin with Congress taking up follow-on legislation.
Financial regulations. He'll create and quickly choose people for an advisory board to oversee all agency efforts to review and overhaul the nation's financial regulatory structure.
Emissions. Obama will reverse the Environmental Protection Agency's move to stop California from implementing its own plan to cut carbon dioxide emissions from cars by 30% in seven years.
Oil and gas drilling. Obama will block a recent Bush plan to lease up 360,000 acres of environmentally sensitive federal land in Utah.
Stem cells. The new president will ease an earlier Bush executive order banning federal funding for more than a limited amount of embryonic stem cell research.
Family planning. Look for a quick end to the so-called global gag rule, which bans federal funds for international groups that perform abortions or even provide counseling on abortion. The prohibition was originally pushed by the late Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC) in the 1980s and strongly backed by social conservatives.
National energy council. The administration will set up a supervisory panel to coordinate policymaking related to energy independence and climate change.
Children's health care. The next Congress will act quickly out of the gate to expand health insurance for kids in mostly low-income and needy families, a program run by states. Bush vetoed a move to do so earlier this year, saying it lacked cost controls and might be manipulated by families who could afford their own health coverage for children.
Guantanamo Bay. Obama will announce plans to close the prison at the U.S. Navy port on the southeastern edge of Cuba soon after taking office, although it will take many months to determine the fate of terrorist-suspect prisoners being held there.
Obama will also move immediately on a stimulus package, but it's expected to take more time to persuade Congress to go along with a plan that could top $500 billion. Similarly, a change in Iraq policy may take weeks of high-level discussion and deliberation before changes are made. Other things will happen with more speed.
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Reader Comments (4)
Posted by: Paul at 11/18/2008 08:25:26 AM
I would like to know what president Obama's opinion on the Cuban situation. Will he resume trades with Cuba or continue the same stupid policies of the last 49 years. I have heard no talk on the subject.
Posted by: Fletch at 11/18/2008 10:25:49 AM
As nice as that all sounds, every one of those things will take at least 3 days to begin. No president does anything in a vacuum - he'll need staff to handle paperwork and other people who actually do these things. Jan 20 has a strict schedule - meetings in the morning, usually with the personal clergy for prayer, then with other officials and with transition staff about the move in and the day's schedule. There's an update meeting from the security agencies. There's breakfast, there's the car ride to the Capital Building. There's the swearing in ceremony and the lengthy trip to the White House. Once at the White House, there's the introduction to the staff and a little family time. There's the tour of the office space and another schedule meeting. There's lunch. There's a quick meeting with the new spokesperson about comments and sound bites that need to be prepped. There's getting ready for the parties that he'll be attending, perhaps as many as 10. Additionally, no one else wants to do any formal business that day. Will these things happen - Yes. They will all be worked on within the first 100 days. Many of them will never happen because they are outside of the actual power of the President, but he'll at least bring them to the table.
Posted by: ron at 11/18/2008 10:56:01 PM
With all of the money that Our Government is spending right now is there any way that we can justify paying for other nations abortion programs. This personally makes no sense to me. Would not OUR Money be better spent on other medical necessities HERE. I hope the people of the United States stand up and tell our Congress that we don't want our money spent in such a way!
Posted by: Gail at 11/24/2008 11:37:54 AM
I agree with ron as to using Federal funds for foreign abortion or abortion counseling - why in the world would we even consider it? We can't afford it! Surely intelligent minds will prevail.