Suggest the first three things Barack Obama should do when he assumes the presidency on Jan. 20.
Plus, click here to tour the White House.
Suggest the first three things Barack Obama should do when he assumes the presidency on Jan. 20.
Plus, click here to tour the White House.
I am not worthy to give advice because I do not know all the inside stories behind what the general population is being told but I do know that you have one, actually many tough jobs that lay ahead, probably moreso than any incoming president ever in the past. I just pray you are granted the wisdom and the proper means neccessary to accomplish these tasks in a fair manner and that you will always put God first.
In addition I would like to thank you for hitting the ground already running even before becoming president. This is surely a sign that you mean business when it comes to tackling the problems and issues you will be facing once you are in office.
...and as always, pray for peace.
Here are three things Obama must do before he will be able to successfully initiate economic and political changes.
1. Reunite America, since we are now a House Divided.
2. Convince our people that fellow citizens are not our worst enemy.
3. Convince Americans to stand together regardless of differences, so we can once again overcome adversity.
1. Listen. If Mr. Obama listens, he will be a much better leader than our last president.
2. Look at history. There’s not a Presidency 101 class he can take, but there is documentation of 43 previous presidents. Learn from the successes and mistakes of predecessors.
3. Remember whom he represents. Obama needs to remember that many people who never voted or rarely vote voted for him, and they are looking up to him. Young children, especially African-American youth, are looking up to Barack Obama as a role model; to me, that is more important than anything else.
1. Make the United States a leader in solving the problem of global warming. The infrastructure money should be used to fund projects that help reduce carbon emissions. We need to rebuild our bridges and roads, but we also need to be putting money toward mass transit.
2. Make sure the infrastructure money is not used for pork barrel projects; it must go to projects that will provide as many jobs as possible.
3. Let the world know that the United States will not torture and that this nation will uphold the rule of law. Our national image has been severely damaged over the past eight years.
1. In 1980, the pay of the average American CEO was approximately 42 times that of the average American worker. By 2006 the ratio was 364 to 1. President Obama should put forth legislation requiring any company receiving bailout funds to reduce the disparity between top and bottom by at least 10 percentage points.
2. He should put forth legislation to federalize our presidential election system, to ensure the same standard, process and mechanism in every state.
3. He should propose a tax structure that offers credits for jobs created in the United States — the more jobs created, the more credits you get. And any company that outsources jobs overseas should have to pay a tax penalty.
Witness for Peace Southeast is an advocacy group that focuses on Latin America.
I call on Mr. Obama to forge a new relationship with our Latin American neighbors that supports peace, promotes justice, respects sovereignty, and builds up sustainable economies.
Specifically, I urge him to:
1. Transform our trade policy so that it prioritizes people and the environment over corporate profit. Renegotiate NAFTA and CAFTA; reject new agreements that follow the failed NAFTA model.
2. Promote humane immigration reform that respects the dignity of immigrants and addresses the poverty and trade policies at the root of migration.
3. Rethink the failed “war on drugs” in Colombia, instead of spending billions in a failed supply-side strategy that funds human-rights abuses.
1. Make sure the the economic recovery package gets spent on transit and maintaining the roads and bridges we already have rather than more sprawl-inducing loops and bypasses that lock us even more into auto dependence.
2. Help prepare workers for new technologies rather than trying to fight globalization.
3. Set the country up for long-term economic growth by investing in loans and grants to put people through college.
From Raleigh
1. Get serious about Internet security. Viruses are no longer the domain of home hackers; they are now weapons of cyberterrorists and organized crime. Large businesses have tools to protect themselves, but small businesses don’t have the resources. Develop a strategy to include filtering and ISP regulation so the average person’s computer is as secure as a large organization’s.
2. Overturn your stance on clean coal technology and focus on real green technologies such as solar, water, and wind. Clean coal still produces waste products, such as CO2 emissions, no matter what the coal lobby will tell you.
3. The Obamas know the hardships faced by working parents, and I hope that translates into new childcare measures. Many mothers want to return to the workforce, but can’t afford childcare. Matching state funding for early childhood education and reforming the Child and Dependent Care tax credit would be a step in the right direction.
1. Require all government sponsored entities — such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — to operate as nonprofit entities. This will eliminate the greed for profit while enjoying government perks.
2. Eliminate all corporate bonus plans for banks receiving bailout funds. You can't get a government bailout and then bonus yourself.
3. Track and monitor banks who receive bailout funds for new loans. If none are being funded, call the bailout loans due and paid back immediately.
First, I'd say: If you
First, I'd say:
If you cabinet represents your views, I'm a little worried. If it is as you say, that you picked people who disagree with you to bounce your ideas off of, then I say good luck! :)
Rahm Emanuel is an interesting choice... How many people, though, would be up in arms had you picked the son of a Palestinian terrorist rather than son of Israeli terrorist?? Or any Palestinian without any ties whatever to terrorism? People would be equally horrified (son of Palestinian terrorist or law abiding Palestinian) if I had to venture a guess. It's a good thing that if Israel's doing it or approves, it must be worth supporting because there's no need to think!
Then, on to an issue:
Re-examine our "special relationship" with Israel regardless of your obligatory AIPAC speech or whether they are giving you a ton of money or threaten to take you down in 4 years.
This issue is not just about the Palestinian/Israeli conflict but also:
-changing the US role in the world from an imperial power imposing democracy at gunpoint to a leader in respect for human rights and responsible foreign policy.
-the question of how much power do and should lobbies have in government. Mearshimer and Walt's paper did a lot to break down the AIPAC role, but this is something we need to think about and reform.