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The times, they have a-changed
Author: BobR
Date: 01/30/2009 13:16:45
Today is the end of the first full week of the Obama Presidency. He campaigned on the promise of change, but I doubt anyone expected this much actual change so quickly. After 8 years of laissez faire "leadership" from Bush it's refreshing to have a president that actually does something.
So what sort of change has come to America? In just the last few days we've seen:
Obama blast Wall St. for their bonuses: Can you imagine Bush berating Wall St. tycoons? It would never happen. Obama however, speaks for America:
Obama has been repealing Bush's executive orders, including 4 related to Labor: It's been amazing to watch these fall. It's especially nice to have a president on the side of the Working Man for a change:
Obama signed the Equal Pay Bill, something that Bush would never have signed, had Congress been able to get it through before:
We've seen changes in Congress too. Whether the improved Democratic majorities are because of new legislators riding Obama's coattails, or because the Republicans earned their losses, we're seeing action there as well, things like:
Congress passed the SCHIP bill:
We heard John Kerry speak up about the unanimous House Republican No vote on the bailout bill, after changes they requested were put in. He said that "if Republicans aren’t prepared to vote for it, I don’t think we should be giving up things, where I think the money can be spent more effectively. If they’re not going to vote for it, let’s go with a plan that we think is going to work.”
Finally - a spine!
And most hopefully, it appears that the crimes of the Bush era may not go unpunished after all. Congress issued another subpoena to Karl Rove, and once again he is planning to ignore it, even as Bill O'Reilly offers him a place to hide (wouldn't it be sweet to see O'Reilly arrested for harboring a criminal?). This time, however, the Justice Dept will be asked to arrest Rove for ignoring the Congressional subpoena.
We'll still have to wait to see how the war crimes are treated, especially after former Bush attorney John Yoo refereed to torturing prisoners as "the Bush System". How long can these blatant crimes against humanity go unanswered? Who will speak for the victims?
We always knew we were living under a regressive, repressive regime; sometimes you don't realize just how bad it was until it's good again. THAT's change we can believe in.
So what sort of change has come to America? In just the last few days we've seen:
Obama blast Wall St. for their bonuses: Can you imagine Bush berating Wall St. tycoons? It would never happen. Obama however, speaks for America:
President Barack Obama issued a withering critique Thursday of Wall Street corporate behavior, calling it "the height of irresponsibility" for employees to be paid more than $18 billion in bonuses last year while their crumbling financial sector received a bailout from taxpayers. "It is shameful," Obama said from the Oval Office. "And part of what we're going to need is for the folks on Wall Street who are asking for help to show some restraint, and show some discipline, and show some sense of responsibility."
Obama has been repealing Bush's executive orders, including 4 related to Labor: It's been amazing to watch these fall. It's especially nice to have a president on the side of the Working Man for a change:
President Barack Obama plans to overturn four Bush-era executive orders that organized labor opposed.
A labor official tells The Associated Press that Obama will reverse one order that allowed unionized companies to post signs informing workers that they were allowed to decertify the union. Critics said the order was unfair because nonunion businesses were not required to post signs letting workers know they were legally allowed to vote for a union.
The official says the other three orders address similar administrative rules for labor groups. The official disclosed the plans on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to pre-empt the White House's plans.
Obama signed the Equal Pay Bill, something that Bush would never have signed, had Congress been able to get it through before:
Barack Obama today signed the first bill of his presidency, a piece of legislation known as the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act that makes it easier for workers to sue after discovering what they believe to be pay discrimination.
In signing the bill, Mr. Obama said that it sends the message "that there are no second class citizens in our workplaces, and that it's not just unfair and illegal -- but bad for business -- to pay someone less because of their gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion or disability."
We've seen changes in Congress too. Whether the improved Democratic majorities are because of new legislators riding Obama's coattails, or because the Republicans earned their losses, we're seeing action there as well, things like:
Congress passed the SCHIP bill:
The Senate passed legislation Thursday that would provide federal health benefits to millions of children, setting the stage for President Obama to notch an early victory on a major priority.
The chamber voted 66-32 to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
Republicans who crossed the aisle to support the Democratic-written bill were Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), Susan Collins (Maine), Bob Corker (Tenn.), Kay Bailey Hutchison (Texas), Richard Lugar (Ind.), Mel Martinez (Fla.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Olympia Snowe (Maine) and Arlen Specter (Pa.).
The latest Senate SCHIP bill failed to attract the same level of Republican support as those earlier measures.
We heard John Kerry speak up about the unanimous House Republican No vote on the bailout bill, after changes they requested were put in. He said that "if Republicans aren’t prepared to vote for it, I don’t think we should be giving up things, where I think the money can be spent more effectively. If they’re not going to vote for it, let’s go with a plan that we think is going to work.”
Finally - a spine!
And most hopefully, it appears that the crimes of the Bush era may not go unpunished after all. Congress issued another subpoena to Karl Rove, and once again he is planning to ignore it, even as Bill O'Reilly offers him a place to hide (wouldn't it be sweet to see O'Reilly arrested for harboring a criminal?). This time, however, the Justice Dept will be asked to arrest Rove for ignoring the Congressional subpoena.
We'll still have to wait to see how the war crimes are treated, especially after former Bush attorney John Yoo refereed to torturing prisoners as "the Bush System". How long can these blatant crimes against humanity go unanswered? Who will speak for the victims?
We always knew we were living under a regressive, repressive regime; sometimes you don't realize just how bad it was until it's good again. THAT's change we can believe in.
