by Mark Silva
President-elect Barack Obama plans an "across-the board'' review of President Bush's executive orders, with an eye toward making his own quick imprint on important matters, and will swiftly put in place a "diverse,'' bipartisan team of Cabinet members and aides, key advisers said today.
"There's a lot that the president can do using his executive authority, without waiting for congressional action,'' said John Podesta, coordinating Obama's transition planning, "And I think we'll see the president do that to try to restore... a sense that the country is working on behalf of the common good.''
Obama's review of his predecessor's executive orders will range from a ban that Bush placed on federal funding for research using new lines of embryonic stem cells to an expected easing of oil and gas drilling limits in sensitive Western lands that the Bush administration could seek to permit in its final months.
"I think across the board, on stem cell research, on a number of areas, you see the Bush administration even today moving aggressively to do things that I think are probably not in the interest of the country,'' said Podesta, director of a Washington-based think tank who served as a chief of staff for former President Bill Clinton, in an appearance on FOX News Sunday. "We're looking... in virtually every agency to see where we can move forward.''
Obama also will move quickly,according to both Podesta and the president-elect's chief of staff, Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), in the formation of a new leadership team. While Obama will make announcements quickly, Podesta noted, with the exception of former President George H.W. Bush, no incoming president has named a Cabinet member before December.
The Democratic junior senator from Illinois, who will be sworn in as president on Jan. 20, also plans to reach across party lines, Emanuel says.
"We have to govern in a bipartisan fashion,'' said Emanuel, who, as chairman of the House Democratic caucus, is known for a rough-and-tumble, partisan style. "The challenges are big enough that there's going to be an ability for people of both parties, as well as independents, to contribute ideas to help meet the challenges on health care, energy, tax reform, education.
"So that is the tone,'' Emanuel said on ABC News' This Week with George Stephanopoulos. "That is the policy. And that is exactly how we're going to go forward.''
Emanuel, however, was more elusive on two looming questions: Whether Obama might delay his plans for tax increases on the wealthiest Americans because of the economic crisis the nation now faces, and whether he might support an added federal bailout for the nation's automakers, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are proposing.
Obama will pursue a $1,000 tax cut for the middle class, his chief of staff said on both ABC's This Week and CBS News' Face the Nation. But he refused to be pinned down on tax increases.
"There is no doubt that a larger economic recovery act... must do two things,'' Emanuel said on ABC. "One, get people working rebuilding our roads, our bridges, our schools, our basic infrastructure that allows the economy to be very productive. Second, there should be a tax rebate to the middle class. ''
Yet Obama's advisers made it clear that the president-elect does not plan to intervene in attempts by a lame-duck Congress to approve an economic stimulus package before Bush leaves office.
"We have one president at a time,'' said Podesta, echoing Obama's words from a press conference on Friday. "The job is up to President Bush to move that legislation forward and try to keep economic recovery moving today.''
The package includes an extension of unemployment benefits, at a time when joblessness has risen to 6.5 percent, its highest level since 1994.
Obama "hopes that will happen during this lame duck session... that President Bush will cooperate,'' Podesta said. "If it doesn't, it would be (Obama's) first item of business.''
Emanuel also indicated that Obama will not play a leading role in the lame-duck Congress' final debates, but rather will focus on building his team.
"He's going to be here in Chicago setting up his economic team,'' he said. "He is going to, as he did on Friday, encourage Washington to move... And he will also, because he doesn't waste a single day, get his team in place.''
Comments
Let's see. We are already 10+ trillion in debt, we are super-sizing the deficits for the next several years running because of the $810 billion bailout alone, there are now calls for $300 billion more in an economic stimulus package, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid now want to bail out the automotive industry, there are further plans to inject substantial quantities of money into education, energy and health care, and there is supposed to be a tax-cut for 90% of Americans?
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I am sorry, but I don't see how any rational person expects the math to work. Somewhere down the line, the incoming administration is going to have to jettison some of its spending plans, or raise taxes, or impose new and different kinds of taxes, or all of the above. Either that or we will end up even more hopelessly in debt, we will grind the economy into the ground, we will have to devote even more than federal budget to cover debt service (and its more than 10% of the budget now) and the resulting inflation will severely depreciate the value of everyone's savings and retirement plans.
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I thought that Obama and the Democrat Congress are headed in the wrong direction. Now I know it. Hold onto your hats folks. Interesting times are just ahead.
Posted by: John W. | November 9, 2008 4:03 PM
It was just a matter of time before the auto industry, one of the most irresponsible and capricious in our country, bemoaned their sorry state to elected officials. Instead of marketing automobiles America wanted, they continued manufacturing myriad versions of cars relying on gas fuel. Now that they were too slow to react, they want taxpayers to bail them out.
I say enough is enough.
Some tough love should be in order for industries that provide an expensive product and didn't plan effectively when the signs of a bad economy were plainly forecast a year ago.
This is a bit different from the banking industry which offers multiple savings and lending products; the auto industry provides one thing: fuel-powered cars and trucks, all sold with specious marketing tactics and focused on hype.
Way to go, Pelosi and Podesta. Make us democrats look even more reckless. Come to think of it, has Pelosi ever voted against any spending bill?
Posted by: Robert Salm | November 9, 2008 4:05 PM
The best thing for conservatives to do is to admit that they were soundly trounced (or as I like to say, they got a long over due and well deserved butt kicking), because of ther own ineptness. And then figure out how to rein in the loudmouth blowhards like Limbaugh, Hannity and Bill-O. Not because free speech is threatened but because if they don't, they will be in permanent minority status with an aging regional base and diminishing prospects of returning to power for a VERY long time.
What frustrates conservatives most is that character assassination campaign strategy (Rev Wright, Bill Ayers etc) can't mask their policy failures and a lack of new ideas anymore.
It couldn't have happened to a "nicer" party...
A good rebuliding first step for the Wingers would be to, cough cough, nominate Sarah Palin in 2012, cough cough.
Someone as young, smart and well spoken, cough cough, as she is should be the one to carry the Republican flag in 2012....:)
Posted by: John E | November 9, 2008 4:46 PM
Finally we're going to be able to get something done after eight years of misrulein the kingdom, ten or more if you count the Gingrich era and Clinton's problems.
Posted by: Max Swanson | November 9, 2008 5:05 PM
No drilling means we are going to pursue Obama's energy plan of alternative energy. That's nice, but where are the alternatives? There are a lot of special interests groups that have ties to alternatives and the Democrats. Is he going to pick these or is he going to go with an energy plan that is in the best interest of the country. Right now, he is in favor of corn ethanol, a costly and efficient product. If enthanol produced by corn is high on the list, we have no energy program but a political sham.
Posted by: Jeff in Orlando | November 9, 2008 5:13 PM
I thought that Obama and the Democrat Congress are headed in the wrong direction. Now I know it. Hold onto your hats folks. Interesting times are just ahead.
Posted by: John W. | November 9, 2008 4:03 PM
Yeah, if only we could do what the Republic Party and their minions always want to do and continue giving huge tax cuts to rich white guys, big oil and huge corporations, then everything would be "GREAT"!
Wingers like you Johnnyboy don't have any say in the matter anymore because you have proven to have been liars and failures who kowtow to the rich and now you have been rejected at the ballot box by a wide margin.
Is this ever going to sink in for you nuts or are you going to continue to live in fantasyland forever?
Posted by: John E | November 9, 2008 5:59 PM
There is nothing in the Constitution that allows the federal government to prevent drilling or mining anywhere.
There is nothing in the Constitution that prevents the states from banning mining and drilling within their borders.
If you are concerned about drilling and mining, contact your state legislature.
http://ewebsmith.com/gov/WrongBusiness.html
Posted by: Web Smith | November 9, 2008 6:00 PM
If "bipartisanship" is good for the Chosen One, how about some bipartisanship at The Swamp?
How about The Swamp hiring some Republican writers? Even 1?
Posted by: Regime Change | November 9, 2008 6:29 PM
Is he going to pick these or is he going to go with an energy plan that is in the best interest of the country. Right now, he is in favor of corn ethanol, a costly and efficient product. If enthanol produced by corn is high on the list, we have no energy program but a political sham.
Posted by: Jeff in Orlando | November 9, 2008 5:13 PM
President-elect Obama is not the President yet. The bailout plan is BUSH'S plan, not Obama's. Whatever suggestions Obama has made, may or may not work and the Bush administration may or may not implement it in a way consistent with Obama's goals. Obama is his own man and he will do what he wants.
President-elect Obama is not some empty skull Republican like Bush awaiting a replacement for Dick Cheney to fill it up. President-elect Obama isn't in charge yet so don't let crybaby Wingers like John W make you think that he's already failing.
The rightwing propaganda machine is already tooling up to claim he's a flip flopper and they're already lying about what his positions are because that's all they have left.
Posted by: John E | November 9, 2008 6:54 PM
No drilling,no nuclear power,but we will be "rid of oil"? Even though embryonic ste cell research is no longer needed it must be pushed by the Democrats because it goes hand in hand with abortion any time,up to and including what is sometimes termed partial birth abortion,tantamount to infanticide. And the left are crying because there isn't a filibuster-proof Senate? God help us all.
Posted by: Barry | November 9, 2008 7:12 PM
Count the silverware.
Posted by: Kenny Bunkport ☮ | November 9, 2008 7:32 PM
Watch for the executive order establishing the "National Civilian Security Force (SF)" that Obama called for in his July 2 speech. No brown shirts, please.
Posted by: Cooper | November 9, 2008 7:47 PM
Two things:
First, John E@4:46PM:
Regarding Conservatives, the worst parts of our problems are precisely because the Republicans were too liberal. We didn't have ENOUGH Conservatism. Bush's and Congress's massive spending is LIBERAL.
We will now get a lot more liberalism so watch your wallet and save money for when your job is threatened.
We can't "stimulate" ourselves out of our problems. I'm afraid Obama will try to emulate FDR and keep us depressed for many years. Remember, it took WWII to get us out of the Depression. Some of Obama's ideas seem to be like FDR's - not good.
Second, the article said "'diverse,' bipartisan team of Cabinet members and aides."
Remember, what diverse means to liberals: Black liberal attorneys, Hispanic liberal attorneys, gay liberal attorneys, etc. If he picks any Republicans, they won't be Conservatives, they'll be Liberal Republicans. In summary, all of his picks will be lefty's and most will be attorneys - terrible.
Posted by: Alz | November 9, 2008 7:49 PM
Why is everyone panicking?
Let's wait and see what Obama can do.
All I'm saying is Let the man have his go at it.
Can't be any worse than what we have now-can it?
Posted by: WhoDat? | November 9, 2008 8:00 PM
* * * * *
Wingers like you Johnnyboy don't have any say in the matter anymore because you have proven to have been liars and failures who kowtow to the rich and now you have been rejected at the ballot box by a wide margin.
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Posted by: John E | November 9, 2008 5:59 PM
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You are wrong JohnEEE-Boy,
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We still have a say in the matter. Republicans may not have fared well in this last election, but Republicans and conservatives, in general, didn't lose their right to vote. We still have the power to elect officials in districts where we represent a majority. That means we still have a concrete say in what happens.
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Furthermore, the election didn't strip us of our rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to speak our mind. I still have the right to tell you where to go, where to jump, and how long to stay under. I also still have the right to speak out bad government regardless of whether it's done by clowns carrying the Republican banner or the Democrat brand. Give up, JohnEE-Boy. We won't be silenced as long as our consciences tell us to speak. As for calling us liars, I gotta tell you that there are just as many liars in the Democratic Party as there are anywhere else in the world. The difference is that you clones are gullible enough to believe them.
Posted by: John W. | November 9, 2008 8:10 PM
Regarding Conservatives, the worst parts of our problems are precisely because the Republicans were too liberal. We didn't have ENOUGH Conservatism. Bush's and Congress's massive spending is LIBERAL.
We will now get a lot more liberalism so watch your wallet and save money for when your job is threatened.
Posted by: Alz | November 9, 2008 7:49 PM
Oooooh, I get it.
Conservativism never fails, people fail conservatism...
HAHAHA!
You Wingnuts are never going to be anything but a small little regional party (the deep south and Utah) if you can't admit that you are offering nothing but bs propaganda to the American people and start to fix yourselves.
Posted by: John E | November 9, 2008 8:15 PM
John E...I have rarely seen a more uniformed poster in these threads. The reason "rich white guys" get the tax breaks is because they're the ones paying taxes. Odd that tax cuts favor the "rich". The top 25% of tax payers pay 87% of all federal income taxes according to the 2006 IRS numbers. And rich means $65K per year to get into that exalted top 25%. And if you gave it a tiny bit of thought, you'd realize you can't tax a corporation. Taxes, and all the costs associated with avoiding them and tracking them, are costs to a corporation. They get passed along in price to consumers, duh. Or if they can't raise price, they cut quality, or jobs by outsourcing things offshore. So go ahead and raise taxes on corporations...and watch capital and jobs flee the US. What a dork. My only consolation is that the Dorkocrats will screw it up again and in two years, sanity will return... if the repubs can quit getting distracted by irrelevancies and spending like drunken sailors.
Posted by: econ101 | November 9, 2008 8:47 PM
What is the national civilian security force? Is this a joke?
Posted by: WhoDat? | November 9, 2008 9:00 PM
Stop burning corn in our gas tanks.
It's raising the price of food for
everyone except the top 5% has
nothing to worry about.
Posted by: Denny | November 9, 2008 10:14 PM
We will now get a lot more liberalism so watch your wallet and save money for when your job is threatened.
We can't "stimulate" ourselves out of our problems. I'm afraid Obama will try to emulate FDR and keep us depressed for many years. Remember, it took WWII to get us out of the Depression. Some of Obama's ideas seem to be like FDR's - not good. what diverse means to liberals: Black liberal attorneys, Hispanic liberal attorneys, gay liberal attorneys, etc. If he picks any Republicans, they won't be Conservatives, they'll be Liberal Republicans. In summary, all of his picks will be lefty's and most will be attorneys - terrible.
Posted by: Alz | November 9, 2008 7:49 PM
It will be interesting and fun to watch the GOP shrink to a few nativist haters, a couple of religious nuts, and the Kathryn Jean-Lopez's of the world in the next few years.
As long as the Rethuglican party continues to offer huge outsized tax breaks to the filthy rich and nothing for everyone else, the extremist nuts will be the only one's left carrying the GOPer banner after 2008.
I think it is going to be a while before we hear about the big tent Rethuglican party.
The Rethugs are seeing their power being yanked away from them because of their own incompetence and they're throwing a tantrum. After controlling the White House for the last eight years and controlling Congress for ten of the last twelve years they've proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that conservatism is a failed ideology and now they're panicking.
It's time for the Rethuglicans to go back to Karl Roves swiftboat drawing board and come up with some new slogans and propaganda talking points because the one's you've been using for the last 30 years are NULL and VOID.
Here's more proof that trickle down, war-mongering Conservatism is DEAD:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96gQcS5VBpo
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Posted by: DrainYou | November 9, 2008 10:33 PM
Why is everyone panicking?
Let's wait and see what Obama can do.
All I'm saying is Let the man have his go at it.
Can't be any worse than what we have now-can it?
Posted by: WhoDat?
Well yes Whodat... it sure can. Your naive totally unqualified MT suit President is running his mouth BEORE even talking to the sitting President who has 7 1/2 years of experience in the job. Heck yeah it can get worse, and as a matter of fact I expect it to. NObama is a MARXIST nutball at worst and just horribly stupid at best.
Posted by: Fred | November 9, 2008 10:36 PM
"Barry" -- how can you say embryonic stem cell research is "no longer needed?" What planet have you been living on? Oh, I get it -- you're still under the influence of the Bush Kool-Aid. Don't worry; the effects will wear off soon, the "beer" goggles will disappear and you'll see the real world. Stem cell research is a vital part of the fight against many, many diseases. I pray no one you love ever has to suffer from any of the debilitating diseases that can be cured by this type of research, all because of narrow-minded people like you.
Posted by: Milw-Town | November 9, 2008 10:58 PM
Obama is not working in a vaccum, he has experienced people working with him. Let's get behind him.We all have to make better decisions in our own personal lives. Barack will take the best steps he can to get us out of this mess.
I am going to listen to Bob Dylans, "Workingman's Blues #2" everyday, so I don't forget that "Life ain't nothin but a step for a stepper." Complainers need to get a job or volunteer.
Posted by: commoner | November 9, 2008 11:05 PM
To WhoDat....Are you high?? Of course things can get worse. The tax and spend alone will be terrible.
Posted by: Steve | November 9, 2008 11:13 PM
oh!! lets see how it works...
Posted by: seo test | November 9, 2008 11:30 PM
is everyone agree?
Posted by: seo test | November 9, 2008 11:32 PM
Bush was President two terms too long! Check out this farewell tribute to him. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcxIUZvwiXU
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Posted by: James Hill | November 10, 2008 12:53 AM
I think that Obama will do a great job!
Posted by: Game GalAXxy | November 10, 2008 3:22 AM
Well yes Whodat... it sure can. Your naive totally unqualified MT suit President is running his mouth BEORE even talking to the sitting President who has 7 1/2 years of experience in the job. Heck yeah it can get worse, and as a matter of fact I expect it to. NObama is a MARXIST nutball at worst and just horribly stupid at best.
Posted by: Fred | November 9, 2008 10:36 PM
Fred, the 7½ years on the job experience that is Bush's legacy is exactly what we don't need ONE MORE MINUTE of, and it's the reason you guys are in a dwindling minority. Republicans just plain don't and WON'T learn from their mistakes, for which I'm very grateful! Here's to a decade or so MORE of you guys crying in your beer, still wondering why the country doesn't just wise up and listen to you.
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Republicans had EVERY POSSIBLE opportunity to have their "Permanent Majority" -- a country united in wanting to clean up Democratic misdeeds, a majority in both houses of Congress PLUS the White House. After 9/11 (of which it's still debatable that Bush could have averted it had he listened to intel information), Bush had a 90% APPROVAL RATING. 90%! EVERYONE was behind him, willing to follow his lead! *I* was behind Bush!
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What did Bush and the Republicans do with all those advantages? They crapped on every single one of them is what they did. Afghanistan WAS going well; the invasion of Iraq WAS going well even if the wisdom and justification behind going there is still pretty shaky. You guys chose to mess up time and time and time again. When people started saying that you were messing up and you needed to re-think what you were doing and how you were doing it, you made them America-Haters and terrorist-collaborators. You poured BILLIONS of dollars down a sewer of misrule and incompetence. Your party trampled on Constitutional rights to privacy needlessly. Republicans were arrogant and plainly out of touch with reality, and they didn't care that they were arrogant and out-of-touch. America had to have a GOOD REASON to learn to despise Republicans, and you guys were only too happy to provide that reason ALL ON YOUR OWN, furthermore spending YEARS doing so.
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Republicans plain don't deserve another chance. You lost for a good reason, and I say good riddance to you.
Posted by: Op109 | November 10, 2008 11:46 AM
Long live Laura, Rush, Beck, Hannity, Levin, and all the other patriots dedicated to bringing our country back from the deathly grip of big government.
Posted by: Jackie | January 29, 2009 10:39 AM
I will miss bush! :(
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