The Good the Bad and the Ugly From the First Week of a New Leadership

So, Tuesday was a whirlwind day for many, even though there were plenty that couldn’t get into the Inaguration when they had tickets. And even though Chief Justice Roberts flubbed the oath (although some think it was Obama that jumped in too soon, forget that when the swearer pauses, that’s a sign for the swearee to start repeating), and had to readminister it.

There was a glaring difference between the invocation and benediction that some of the “big boy” liberal bloggers (come on, David, fine for it’s context?) missed. The dude left out more than half the population focusing on male supremacy. While the righties are whinning (as David does predict will happen) about Lowrey’s benediction, I will leave you with the thought that it was passionate, inclusive (not just by race, but by gender), firey, and it should be a conversation starter for the racial, class, and gender differences still experienced in our country, and which has gotten significantly worse the last 8 years.

Now, shortly after the November election, I noted that the republican’s left in congress were overwhelmingly on the extremist right, and would do everything in their power to thwart democrats. It appears that so far I was correct, when repugs opposed Geithner, Cornyn blocked (for a short time) Hilary Clinton, delaying the Holder confirmation (granted I have my own problems with Holder).

The rabid right won’t stop whinning any time soon. These folks hate equality, tolerance, and intellectualism so much that they are voicing their hope that the Obama administration fails. The people that survive on a message of fear are continuing to drive that fear message home to those that don’t have the brains to think things through. Obama’s “I won, get over it” attitude towards the regressive repugs is a tough one, we must remember it is the same attitude regressive repugs used 4 and 8 years ago. With one exception — Obama LISTENED before making his statement of fact.

Regardless of the slightly rocky start, which any cynic would have expected, Obama got down to work immediately. We have a halt to the kangaroo kourt Gitmo proceedings, and an Order closing Gitmo as soon as practically possible, within a year. Of course, with the righties dependency on fear, their fear of possible “indoctrination” by erroneously termed enemy combatants of other criminals is to be expected.

I am cautiously optimistic of the pay freeze for WhiteHouse aides. I feel that this signals a beginning to an end of government worker excess on taxpayer’s dime.

Many have accepted the call to serve in Government and to assist me in restoring a sound economy and in improving the lives of average Americans. In this challenging economic period, it is only appropriate that senior officials on the White House staff forgo pay increases until further notice.

Accordingly, as a signal of our shared commitment to restoring the country’s economic vitality and because of the serious economic conditions we are facing, I intend to freeze the salaries of senior members of the White House staff, to the extent permitted by law. I direct you to report back to me within 30 days with recommendations for actions to implement this freeze.

For all the repugs that spew the mantra of an end to government excess, they never truly ended government pay excesses. Unfortunately, I don’t think a pay freeze will last much longer past the current recession.

Once extremist rightie Rush voiced his “concern” that a more open FOIA rule would allow an easier road to hold the Bush administration accountable for the lies, deception, and illegal acts, I allowed myself to feel a little more optimism. Holding Bush accountable should be more of a priority when we take a look at how Bush’s NSA spied on EVERYBODY. Let’s not forget that Bush told us it wasn’t everybody, and that can be quantified as a lie to the American people.

While there are a number of other issues I’d like to discuss, the end of the week Memorandum repealing the Global Gag Rule, overshadowed everything else for me. While I was dismayed that Obama took several days to get to this, I can’t tell you how thrilled I was. However, I think that Sen. Boxer should revive her amendment that would end the partisan flip-flopping of feast or famine of aid to NGO’s providing family planning overseas. While the global Gag Rule is a heinous piece of women-hating vitriol, I would be remiss if I did not remind you that Bush expanded the Global Gag Rule. During the last 8 years, maternal mortality rose, infant mortality rose, clinics closed (some of which were the only available clinics to many women and children).

When President Bush reinforced the ban, the organisation lost about $2m in funding overnight. More than 1,000 outreach workers lost their jobs and, it estimates, about 38,000 women lost contraceptive, post-natal and immunisation services.

Basically, the regressive woman and child hating Global Gag rule put women and children in danger and led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of women and children during the last 8 years. There is no morality associated with backing the GGR. But, this is only one step in acknowledging women need healthy pregnancies (including deciding when to be pregnant) to live healthy lives.