Tuesday, January 20, 2009

The 44th Gets Ready for Battle


1 day from inauguration, Obama gets his transition team ready for the real transition. He has made his selection for key economic advisory positions and cabinet posts. He has made promises of closing down Gitmo, create 2.5 million jobs in the green industry, increase taxes for the rich, reform healthcare and above all, cure the ailing economy (he is expected to approve a USD 1 trillion economic aid package). Obama will also end the war in Iraq and focus his tactical attention on Afghanistan.

Critics have begun their spinning and others are giving their 3 cents worth of how Obama should run his presidency. Fred Barnes of weeklystandard.com thinks Obama is a spoof, second-guessing the soon-to-be President would not make tough, decisive calls despite his army of Ivy-league elites. Some are stating the obvious that Bush's mistakes will be Obama's lessons of things not to do, especially with regards to foreign policy.

Friedman wants Obama to hold the some 300 bank presidents responsible and start scrutinizing their balance sheets. “So here’s what we’re going to do: we’re going to unclog the arteries. My banking experts have analyzed each of your balance sheets. You will tell us if we’re right. Those of you who are insolvent, we will nationalize and shut down. We will auction off your viable assets and will hold the toxic ones in a government reconstruction fund and sell them later when the market rebounds. Those of you who are weak will be merged. And those of you who are strong will receive added capital for your balance sheets, after you write down all your remaining toxic waste. I am not going to continue rewarding the losers and dimwits amongst you with handouts.”

Obama will also be tasked to expedite peace process in the middle east, an issue past presidents have failed to complete, for whatever reason. He will also be tested as to how he will tackle terrorism, disassociate it from Islam and conclude the ridiculous and failed campaign of 'War on Terror'. At any rate, his constituency is not only Americans, but also the entire planet, waiting to see what change he would do that we could believe in.

No comments: