How should the first 100 days of the Obama Era look?
My sentimental hangover is starting to wear off. I'm sure you're saying "so soon?" Let's be frank, there is a lot to be done. I'm filled with hope and energy, but not to the point of being blind to the hard facts of the situation. The Dow shit out another 500 points today, so it's not like we've magically ended up in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation where everything is perfect and we all love each other.
We know Team Obama is well at work on the plan for the first 100 days. My question to you is simple: What is first? What do the first 100 days need to look like?
Here are a few keys for me:
1) Tax reform: Gotta do it immediately. This was such a cornerstone of the campaign. Let's push those tax increases for the top 2% through while the wind is at our backs.
2) Israeli/Palestinian peace talks: Bush ignored this section of the region for a large part of his term of office. We can see how that turned out. It's devolving into chaos. Prime Minister Olmert was forced to resign due to scandal. His successor, Tzipi Livni was unable to form a new government. Far right vultures are circling the corpse of the moderate, pragmatic Kadima Party, with some real loons threatening Rabin-style assassinations. Tensions with Iran keep rising and we know Israel has constant finger on the trigger. That's not even considering the on-going squabbles inside the Palestinian territories. The Obama administration needs to engage both sides and work to encourage multilateral talks. Obama must also actively support dismantling of the many illegal settlements in the West Bank and Israel's further break with its Religious Right. A stable Israel and Palestine make a safer Middle East.
3) High-level talks with Iran: We are trapped. There is no doable military solution to the Iranian nuclear problem. We can't afford another Iraq. Israel can't afford another Lebanon. North Korea isn't a done deal yet, but we are much farther along in disarming that rogue nation than we are in Iran. Let's try multilateral talks here as well. Let's make nations like Egypt and Jordan do more in the cause of nuclear stability.
4) Push for federal funding more worthy mass-transit projects: California just passeed Proposition 1a, a sweeping, $9 billion bond plan to build a high-speed rail project. The train will travel 220 MPH from San Francisco to Los Angeles in its first segment. This project stands to revolutionize the economy in America's biggest, most prosperous state. Agriculture, technology, entertainment, green industry; California can claim to be a major force in all of these areas. Economies prosper when people can get to and from job centers easily and cheaply. Problem is, according to the proposition's language, we can't start selling bonds until the Federal government ponies up matching funds. This is not just a California issue either. Many of America's largest cities are seeing the crush of high gas prices and automobile congestion. These cities want real mass transit in the form of light rail, subways, monorails and dedicated busways. Supporting mass transit will create blue collar construction jobs and go a long way toward the environmental goals Obama laid out in the last 2 years.
yes that's all fine and well, but what about those gay immigrants selling steroids to our athletes.
Posted By: the dude (Guest) on November 05, 2008 at 08:14 PM
You're three for four by my scorecard. Peace talks between Israel and Palestine in the first 100 days? They have been fighting since before either of their current populations were born and the Palestinian side has no will to stop. It's important but not an immediate doable priority. Even Obama can't make THAT good a speech. I would replace that with funding for alternative fuels. I love the mass transit initiative, especially living in Chicago which is exactly as you described. But that doesn't change the stranglehold the Middle East has on us for oil. When we can make our own energy there will be no more oil wars and no more giving billions to terrorist states. It must happen now, otherwise if our economy begins to recover gas prices will shoot up again and stall our progress. Energy independence is the single most important goal of the 21st century, as it directly impacts our ability to accomplish anything else. The day we can tell OPEC to go f*ck themselves will be one of the biggest days in our history, and if it doesn't happen soon we may all die early from the destruction of our atmosphere and environment.
Posted By: Shockmaster (Guest) on November 05, 2008 at 10:10 PM
Shockmaster said: "The day we can tell OPEC to go f*ck themselves will be one of the biggest days in our history, and if it doesn't happen soon we may all die early from the destruction of our atmosphere and environment.
"
A-fucking-men.
Energy independence should be a very high priority, not just for President elect Obama, but for the entire United States of America.
Posted By: Darrel Smith Jr (Guest) on November 06, 2008 at 01:10 AM
STAY CURRENT